Information recording medium, information recording apparatus and method, information reproducing apparatus and method, information recording/reproducing apparatus and method, computer program for controlling recording or reproducing, and data structure containing control signal

ABSTRACT

On an information recording medium, an entire stream including a plurality of portion streams, each of which is provided with a series of content information, such as picture information or video information and audio information, is multiplexed-and-recorded by a unit of packet. In the first area of the information recording medium, there is recorded a file for storing object data, which is provided with a plurality of packets, each of which stores therein a piece of the picture information or the audio information. In the second area, which is different from this first area, of the information recording medium, there are recorded information which defines a reproduction sequence of the object data, information which defines a correspondence relationship between a plurality of packets multiplexed on a time axis and the plurality of portion streams, and the like.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an information recording medium, suchas a high-density optical disc, on which various information can berecorded at high density, such as main picture information or videoinformation, audio information, sub picture information, andreproduction control information, an apparatus for and a method ofrecording the information onto the information recording medium, anapparatus for and a method of reproducing the information from theinformation recording medium, an apparatus and a method capable of bothrecording and reproducing the information, a computer program forcontrolling the record or the reproduction, and a data structureincluding a control signal for controlling the reproduction.

BACKGROUND ART

DVDs are generalized as optical discs on which various information isrecorded, such as the video information, the audio information, the subpicture information, and the reproduction control information. Accordingto the DVD standard, the video information (e.g. video data), the audioinformation (e.g. audio data), and the sub picture information (e.g. subpicture data) are individually packetized with the reproduction controlinformation (e.g. navigation data) and are multiplexed and recorded on adisc in the “program stream” format of the MPEG 2 (Moving PictureExperts Group phase 2) standard, which is a highly efficient encodingtechnique. In the video information among them, there is only one streamof data compressed according to the MPEG video format (ISO 13818-2)within one program stream. On the other hand, the audio information isrecorded in a plurality of methods (namely, linear PCM, AC-3, MPEGaudio, and the like). The audio information can exist up to 8 streamswithin one program stream. The sub picture information is defined with abit map and is compressed and recorded in a run-length method. The subpicture information can exist up to 32 streams within one programstream. In the case of the DVD, as described above, a plurality ofstreams of the chooseable or selectable audio information (e.g. streamsof a stereo sound, a surrounding sound, an original English sound, adubbed Japanese sound, and the like) and a plurality of streams of thechooseable or selectable sub picture information (e.g. streams ofJapanese subtitle, English subtitle, and the like) are multiplexed andrecorded by using the program stream format, for one stream of the videoinformation in one movie or film, for example.

On the other hand, the “transport stream” format of the MPEG 2 standardhas been recently standardized, and this is appropriate for highercapacity or higher speed data transmission. According to this transportstream format, a plurality of “elementary streams” are transmitted atthe same time at a much higher transmission rate than that of the abovedescribed program stream format. For example, a plurality of shows orprograms, such as many TV channels of satellite digital broadcasting,are time-division-multiplexed to one satellite wave and are transmittedat the same time. Namely, in the transport stream format, it is possibleto time-division-multiplex the elementary streams of a plurality of mainpictures or videos, each of which has a large data amount, and transmitthem at the same time. For example, it is possible to transmit at thesame time a plurality of movies recorded on a plurality of DVDs.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

However, in the above described DVD, although the video of one streamcan be multiplexed and recorded with the audio information, the subpicture information, and the like of a plurality of streams, the videoof the plurality of streams cannot be multiplexed and recorded. Namely,the DVD, on which recording is performed on the basis of the programstream format of the MPEG 2, has such a problem that. a plurality ofshows or programs cannot be essentially multiplexed and recordedthereon, which are transmitted at that same time in the transport streamformat of the MPEG 2 as described above.

Moreover, even if there is a disc which has such a high transmissionrate and has such a high recording capacity or such a high recordingdensity as to be capable of recording at the same time the plurality ofshows or programs transmitted in the transport stream format, it isdifficult or almost impossible to judge which elementary stream out of aplurality of elementary streams in a bundle corresponds to which pieceout of many multiplexed content information pieces, when reproducing thedisc. This matching needs to be performed after the reproduction ofmultiplexed control information pieces (i.e. information pieces in whichthis matching is written) and in accordance with these reproduced pieces(i.e. control information pieces), even in an information reproducingapparatus, as in a tuner for satellite broadcasting, for example, sothat quick and easy reproduction is difficult. Moreover, as opposed tothe tuner for performing simple tuning, the above-described reproductionbased on the control information pieces has a problem that it isextremely difficult to accurately perform special reproductionprocessing, such as searching, scanning, and interactive reproduction,that is characteristic of the information reproducing apparatus.

Additionally, in some cases an interpretation rule about the matchingbetween each elementary stream and each content information piece whichis multiplexed may be freely determined according to a local rule, suchas a rule for each country. If a plurality of shows or programs, eachhaving a different interpretation rule as described above, are recordedon the same disc, it is more difficult to judge which elementary streamcorresponds to which content information piece, when reproducing thedisc. More specifically, there is a technical problem that it isdifficult to perform quick and accurate demultiplexing or the like forreadout data, which is made of multiplexed and recorded contentinformation pieces and control information pieces, so as to extract thecontent information that is a reproduction object.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide aninformation recording medium, an apparatus for and a method of recordinginformation, an apparatus for and a method of reproducing theinformation, an apparatus for and a method of recording and reproducingthe information, a computer program for controlling the record or thereproduction, and a data structure including a control signal forcontrolling the reproduction, which make it possible to multiplex andrecord a large amount of content information, such as a plurality ofshows or programs, and relatively simply reproduce a desired one fromamong them.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation recording medium on which an entire stream including aplurality of portion streams, each of which is provided with a series ofcontent information, is multiplexed-and-recorded by a unit of packet,which is a physically accessible unit, the information recording mediumprovided with: an object data file, which is a logically accessibleunit, for storing object data which is provided with a plurality ofpackets, each storing therein a piece of the content information; areproduction sequence information file for storing reproduction sequenceinformation which defines a reproduction sequence of the object datastored in the object data file; and an object information file forstoring, as reproduction control information for controlling thereproduction of the object data file, correspondence definitioninformation which defines a correspondence relationship between aplurality of packets multiplexed on a time axis and the plurality ofportion streams, the object data file being multiplexed by the unit ofpacket and being recorded in a first area on the information recordingmedium, the object information file being not multiplexed by the unit ofpacket and being recorded in a second area which is different from thefirst area on the information recording medium.

According to the information recording apparatus of the presentinvention, the entire stream, such as at least one portion of thetransport stream of the MPEG 2, is provided with a plurality of portionstreams, such as elementary streams. Each of the portion streams isprovided with a series of content, such as the video information (e.g.video data), the audio information (e.g. audio data), and the subpicture information (e.g. sub picture data), which can be reproduced bythe information reproducing apparatus. Namely, one “portion stream”herein indicates one data array or information array, such as the videostream, the audio stream, and the sub picture stream constituting aseries of content, which can be, for example, the elementary stream. Onthe other hand, one “entire stream” herein indicates the data array orinformation array made by a plurality of portion streams in a bundle.The entire stream may be the transport stream itself made by melementary streams in a bundle of the MPEG 2 (m: natural number, m≧2).The entire stream may be the data array or information array made by nelementary streams in a bundle out of the transport stream (n: naturalnumber, 2≦n<m). The entire stream of this type ismultiplexed-and-recorded on the information recording medium by a unitof packet (e.g. a TS packet as described later), which is a physicallyaccessible unit, by the information reproducing apparatus. Especially,the object data file is a logically accessible unit by the informationreproducing apparatus and stores the object data constructed by aplurality of packets, each of which stores therein a piece of thecontent information. The reproduction sequence information file storesthe reproduction sequence information (e.g. play list information),which defines the reproduction sequence of the object data stored inthis object data file. The object information file stores, as thereproduction control information for controlling the reproduction of theobject data file by the information reproducing apparatus, thecorrespondence definition information (e.g. an ES_Map Table indicatingan elementary stream packet ID (ES_PID), as described later). Variousinformation stored in the object information file and the reproductionsequence information file described above is not multiplexed by a unitof packet on the information recording medium, which is different fromthe case of the object data file. Therefore, on the basis of thereproduction control information and the reproduction sequenceinformation, it becomes possible to reproduce the object data on theinformation reproducing apparatus.

Especially, in this case, in the information reproducing apparatus, itbecomes possible to reproduce a desired show or program constructed ofthe combination of the content information or single content informationprovided with one portion of the entire stream which ismultiplexed-and-recorded on the information recording medium, on thebasis of the correspondence relationship between a plurality of packetsand a plurality of portion streams multiplexed on the time axis, whichis described in the correspondence definition information included inthe reproduction control information. Moreover, the object data filewhich is multiplexed by a unit of packet as described above is recordedin the first area on the information recording medium, and the objectinformation file which is not multiplexed by a unit of packet isrecorded in the second area which is different from this first area.

For example, the object information file is collectively or separatelyrecorded in the second area located near the center side (e.g. a portionof a data record area relatively close to a lead-in area) of an opticaldisc, which is one example of the information recording medium, and theobject data file is collectively or separately recorded in the firstarea located outside from this second area (e.g. a portion of the datarecord area relatively far from the lead-in area). Alternatively, theobject information file may be collectively or separately recorded inthe second area located near the outer side of such an optical disc(e.g. which is, if there is a lead-out area, a portion of the datarecord area relatively close to this area), and it is possible to takevarious aspects for the placement of the first and the second areas.

Therefore, at the time of the reproduction, if firstly obtaining thereproduction control information including the correspondence definitioninformation or the like from the second area, then it is possible torelatively easily judge, on the basis of this, which portion stream outof a plurality of portion streams corresponds to which packet in thefirst area, and thus it is possible to efficiently reproduce the objectdata recorded in the first area. Moreover, if taking a basis of thecorrespondence definition information recorded in the object informationfile in the second area without being multiplexed by a unit of packet,it is possible to accurately perform special reproduction processing,such as searching, scanning, and interactive reproduction for the objectdata recorded in the first area.

Incidentally, for example, the correspondence definition information(e.g. an ES map table as described later or the like) included in suchreproduction control information can be established by firstly reading,at the time of recording, one correspondence definition information(e.g. a PAT and a PMT as described later or the like) included in thetransport stream, which is associated with digital-broadcasting as theobject data source, in the multiplexed form by a unit of packet and onthe basis of the reading result.

Consequently, according to the present invention, it is possible tomultiplex and record a large amount of content information, such as aplurality of shows or programs, and to relatively easily reproduce adesired one of them.

In one aspect of the information recording medium of the presentinvention, the object data file includes a plurality of object datarecorded on the basis of interpretation rules which mutually differ withregard to the correspondence relationship and the correspondencedefinition information defines the correspondence relationship on thebasis of interpretation rules which are unified among the plurality ofobject data.

According to this aspect, even if there are the plurality of object dataon the same information recording medium, which are multiplexed andrecorded on the basis of the interpretation rules which mutually differin accordance with a local rule for each country, for example, at thetime of reproducing, it is possible to reproduce any object data withoutany problems on the basis of the correspondence definition informationrecorded in the object information file without being multiplexed by aunit of packet. Especially, at the time of recording, it is notnecessary to apply a change for recording to a data structure in such atransport stream that a plurality of TV channel shows or programs aredigitally transmitted and broadcasted at the same time, but it is enoughto additionally record the object information file, the reproductionsequence information file, or the like, which is extremely useful inpractice.

In another aspect of the information recording medium of the presentinvention, the entire stream includes two ore more portion streams, eachprovided with video information, as the series of content information.

According to this aspect, it is possible to collectively record, bymultiplexing and recording, the entire stream, such as the transportstream of the MPEG 2, which includes two or more portion streams (i.e.the video stream) each provided with the video information, which isuseful.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation recording apparatus for multiplexing and recording an entirestream including a plurality of portion streams, each of which isprovided with a series of content information, onto an informationrecording medium by a unit of packet, which is a physically accessibleunit, the information recording apparatus provided with a firstrecording device for recording an object data file, which is a logicallyaccessible unit, for storing object data which is provided with aplurality of packets, each storing therein a piece of the contentinformation; a second recording device for recording a reproductionsequence information file for storing reproduction sequence informationwhich defines a reproduction sequence of the object data stored in theobject data file; and a third recording device for recording an objectinformation file for storing, as reproduction control information forcontrolling the reproduction of the object data file, correspondencedefinition information which defines a correspondence relationshipbetween a plurality of packets multiplexed on a time axis and theplurality of portion streams, the first recording device multiplexingthe object data file by the unit of packet and recording it in a firstarea on the information recording medium, the third recording device notmultiplexing the object information file by the unit of packet andrecording it in a second area which is different from the first area onthe information recording medium.

According to the information recording apparatus of the presentinvention, the object data file for storing the object data is recordedby the first recording device, such as a system controller, an encoderor the like, a TS object generator as described later, and an opticalpickup. The reproduction sequence information file for storing thereproduction sequence information is recorded by the second recordingdevice, such as a system controller and an optical pickup or the like.The object information file for storing the correspondence definitioninformation is recorded by the third recording device, such as a systemcontroller and an optical pickup or the like, as the reproductioncontrol information.

In this case, although the first recording device multiplexes the objectdata by a unit of packet and records it in the first area, the thirdrecording device records the object information file in the second areawithout multiplexing it by a unit of packet.

For example, the third recording device collectively or separatelyrecords the object information file in the second area located near thecenter side (e g. a portion of a data record area relatively close to alead-in area) of an optical disc, which is one example of theinformation recording medium. On the other hand, the first recordingdevice collectively or separately multiplexes and records the objectdata file in the first area located outside from this second area (e.g.a portion of the data record area relatively far from the lead-in area).Alternatively, the third recording device may collectively or separatelyrecord the object information file in the second area located near theouter circumference of such an optical disc (e.g. which is, if there isa lead-out area, a portion of the data record area relatively close tothis area), and it is possible to take various aspects for the placementof the first and the second areas.

Therefore, with respect to the above-described information recordingmedium of the present invention, it is possible to collectively recordthe entire stream, such as the transport stream of the MPEG 2,relatively easily.

Incidentally, the second recording device may be constructed such thatit does not multiplex the reproduction sequence information by a unit ofpacket and records it in the third area that is different from the firstand second areas on the information recording medium.

Moreover, the correspondence definition information to be recorded (e.g.an ES map table or the like) in the second area as described above maybe generated by the third recording device on the basis of onecorrespondence definition information (e.g. a PAT and a PMT as describedlater or the like) included in the transport stream, which is associatedwith digital-broadcasting as the object data source, in the multiplexedform by a unit of packet.

Incidentally, the information recording apparatus of the presentinvention can also take various aspects in response to various aspectsof the above-described information recording medium of the presentinvention.

In one aspect of the information recording apparatus of the presentinvention, the entire stream is provided with at least one portion of atransport stream of MPEG 2 which is digitally transmitted andbroadcasted and is received at a set top box and the first recordingdevice records the object data file such that one correspondencedefinition information, which defines the correspondence relationshipincluded in the received entire stream, is included in one portion ofthe object data in the multiplexed form with the content information.

According to this aspect, it is possible to multiplex and record theentire stream, such as at least one portion of the transport streamwhich is digitally transmitted and broadcasted (i.e. a portioncorresponding to TV shows or TV programs of all channels or a pluralityof channels or the like), onto the information recording medium in realtime with the one correspondence definition information (e.g. a PAT anda PMT as described later or the like) being multiplexed, which isextremely useful.

Additionally, as long as one correspondence definition information isstored in the object data file in the multiplexed form as describedabove, it is possible to perform digital-broadcast processing using theobject data file recorded on the information recording medium as a datasource, aside from reproduction processing based on the correspondencedefinition information in the object information file as described above(i.e. reproduction processing that is not based on the onecorrespondence definition information multiplexed and recorded). In thiscase, it becomes possible to perform tuning with a tuner or the like onthe basis of the one correspondence definition information multiplexed.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation recording method of multiplexing and recording an entirestream including a plurality of portion streams, each of which isprovided with a series of content information, onto an informationrecording medium by a unit of packet, which is a physically accessibleunit, the information recording method provided with: a first recordingprocess of recording an object data file, which is a logicallyaccessible unit, for storing object data which is provided with aplurality of packets, each storing therein a piece of the contentinformation; a second recording process of recording a reproductionsequence information file for storing reproduction sequence informationwhich defines a reproduction sequence of the object data stored in theobject data file; and a third recording process of recording an objectinformation file for storing, as reproduction control information forcontrolling the reproduction of the object data file, correspondencedefinition information which defines a correspondence relationshipbetween a plurality of packets multiplexed on a time axis and theplurality of portion streams, the first recording process multiplexingthe object data file by the unit of packet and recording it in a firstarea on the information recording medium, the third recording processnot multiplexing the object information file by the unit of packet andrecording it in a second area which is different from the first area onthe information recording medium.

According to the information recording method of the present invention,as with the above-described information recording apparatus of thepresent invention, the object data file for storing the object data isrecorded by the first recording process. The reproduction sequenceinformation file for storing the reproduction sequence information isrecorded by the second recording process. The object information filefor storing the correspondence definition information is recorded by thethird recording process as the reproduction control information.

In this case, although the first recording process multiplexes theobject data by a unit of packet and records it in the first area, thethird recording process records the object information file in thesecond area without multiplexing it by a unit of packet. Therefore, withrespect to the above-described information recording medium of thepresent invention, it is possible to collectively record the entirestream, such as the transport stream of the MPEG 2, relatively easily.

Incidentally, the second recording process may be constructed such thatit does not multiplex the reproduction sequence information by a unit ofpacket and records it in the third area that is different from the firstand second areas on the information recording medium.

Incidentally, the information recording method of the present inventioncan also take various aspects in response to various aspects of theabove-described information recording medium of the present invention.

In one aspect of the information recording method of the presentinvention, the entire stream is provided with at least one portion of atransport stream of MPEG 2 which is digitally transmitted andbroadcasted and is received at a set top box and the first recordingprocess records the object data file such that one correspondencedefinition information, which defines the correspondence relationshipincluded in the received entire stream, is included in one portion ofthe object data in the multiplexed form with the content information.

According to this aspect, as with the above-described informationrecording apparatus of the present invention, it is possible tomultiplex and record the entire stream, such as at least one portion ofthe transport stream which is digitally transmitted and broadcasted(i.e. a portion corresponding to TV shows or TV programs of all channelsor a plurality of channels or the like), onto the information recordingmedium in real time with the one correspondence definition information(e.g. a PAT and a PMT as described later or the like) being multiplexed,which is extremely useful.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation reproducing apparatus for reproducing at least one portionof the recorded entire stream from the above-described informationrecording medium of the present invention (including its variousaspects), the information reproducing apparatus provided with: a readingdevice for physically reading information from the information recordingmedium; and a reproducing device for reproducing the object data bydemultiplexing for the information read by the reading device from thefirst area on the basis of the reproduction control information and thereproduction sequence information included in the information read bythe reading device from the second area.

According to the information reproducing apparatus of the presentinvention, information is physically read by the reading device, such asan optical pickup and a demodulator or the like, from the informationrecording medium by a unit of packet or the like. Then, the object dataespecially is reproduced by the reproducing device, such as a systemcontroller, a demultiplexer, and a decoder or the like, bydemultiplexing for the information read by a unit of packet from thefirst area on the basis of the reproduction control information and thereproduction sequence information included in the information read fromthe second area. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately reproduce,as a series of content information, the information multiplexed andrecorded on the above-described information recording medium of thepresent invention.

Incidentally, the information reproducing apparatus of the presentinvention can also take various aspects in response to various aspectsof the above-described information recording medium of the presentinvention.

In one aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the presentinvention, the reproducing device demultiplexes such that a packetcorresponding to one or a plurality of portion streams that arereproduction objects out of the plurality of packets multiplexed isextracted in accordance with the correspondence definition informationincluded in the information read by the reading device.

According to this aspect, it is possible to perform the reproduction ofthe object data by the reproducing device by extracting a packetcorresponding to the content information that is a reproduction objectout of the plurality of packets multiplexed and recorded in the firstarea in accordance with the correspondence definition information readfrom the second area.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation reproducing method of reproducing at least one portion ofthe recorded entire stream from the above-described informationrecording medium of the present invention (including its variousaspects), the information reproducing method provided with: a readingprocess of physically reading information from the information recordingmedium; and a reproducing process of reproducing the object data bydemultiplexing for the information read by the reading process from thefirst area on the basis of the reproduction control information and thereproduction sequence information included in the information read bythe reading process from the second area.

According to the information reproducing method of the presentinvention, as with the above-described information reproducing apparatusof the present invention, information is physically read by the readingprocess from the information recording medium by a unit of packet or thelike. Then, the object data is reproduced by the reproducing process bydemultiplexing for the information read by a unit of packet from thefirst area on the basis of the reproduction control information and thereproduction sequence information included in the information read fromthe second area. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately reproduce,as a series of content information, the information multiplexed andrecorded on the above-described information recording medium of thepresent invention.

Incidentally, the information reproducing method of the presentinvention can also take various aspects in response to various aspectsof the above-described information recording medium of the presentinvention.

In one aspect of the information recording method of the presentinvention, the reproducing process demultiplexes such that a packetcorresponding to one or a plurality of portion streams that arereproduction objects out of the plurality of packets multiplexed isextracted in accordance with the correspondence definition informationincluded in the information read by the reading process.

According to this aspect, it is possible to perform the reproduction ofthe object data by the reproducing process by extracting a packetcorresponding to the content information that is a reproduction objectout of the plurality of packets multiplexed and recorded in the firstarea in accordance with the correspondence definition information readfrom the second area.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation recording and reproducing apparatus for recording the entirestream onto and reproducing at least one portion of the recorded entirestream from the above-described information recording medium of thepresent invention (including its various aspects), the informationrecording and reproducing apparatus provided with: a first recordingdevice for recording the object data file; a second recording device forrecording the reproduction sequence information file; a third recordingdevice for recording the object information file; a reading device forphysically reading information from the information recording medium;and a reproducing device for reproducing the object data bydemultiplexing for the information read by the reading device from thefirst area on the basis of the reproduction control information and thereproduction sequence information included in the information read bythe reading device from the second area.

According to the information recording and reproducing apparatus of thepresent invention, as with the above-described information recordingapparatus of the present invention, the object data file is multiplexedand recorded by the first recording apparatus by a unit of packet. Thereproduction sequence information file is recorded by the secondrecording device. The object information file is recorded by the thirdrecording device. Then, as with the above-described informationreproducing apparatus of the present invention, information isphysically read by the reading device from the information recordingmedium. Then, the object data especially read by a unit of packet isreproduced by the reproducing device on the basis of the reproductioncontrol information and the reproduction sequence information includedin this read information. Therefore, with respect to the above-describedinformation recording medium of the present invention, it is possible tocollectively record the entire stream, such as the transport stream ofthe MPEG 2, relatively easily, and further it is possible toappropriately reproduce, as a series of content information, theinformation multiplexed and recorded on this information recordingmedium.

Incidentally, the information recording and reproducing apparatus of thepresent invention can also take various aspects in response to variousaspects of the above-described information recording medium of thepresent invention.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation recording and reproducing method of recording the entirestream onto and reproducing at least one portion of the recorded entirestream from the above-described information recording medium of thepresent invention (including its various aspects), the informationrecording and reproducing method provided with: a first recordingprocess of recording the object data file; a second recording process ofrecording the reproduction sequence information file; a third recordingprocess of recording the object information file; a reading process ofphysically reading information from the information recording medium;and a reproducing process of reproducing the object data bydemultiplexing for the information read by the reading process from thefirst area on the basis of the reproduction control information and thereproduction sequence information included in the information read bythe reading process from the second area.

According to the information recording and reproducing method of thepresent invention, as with the above-described information recordingmethod of the present invention, the object data file is multiplexed andrecorded by the first recording process by a unit of packet. Thereproduction sequence information file is recorded by the secondrecording process. The object information file is recorded by the thirdrecording process. Then, as with the above-described informationreproducing method of the present invention, information is physicallyread by the reading process from the information recording medium. Then,the object data especially read by a unit of packet is reproduced by thereproducing process on the basis of the reproduction control informationand the reproduction sequence information included in this readinformation. Therefore, with respect to the above-described informationrecording medium of the present invention, it is possible tocollectively record the entire stream, such as the transport stream ofthe MPEG 2, relatively easily, and further it is possible toappropriately reproduce, as a series of content information, theinformation multiplexed and recorded on this information recordingmedium.

Incidentally, the information recording and reproducing method of thepresent invention can also take various aspects in response to variousaspects of the above-described information recording medium of thepresent invention.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a computerprogram for controlling record which controls a computer provide in theabove-described information recording apparatus of the present invention(including its various aspects) and which causes the computer tofunction as at least one portion of the first recording device, thesecond recording device, and the third recording device.

According to the computer program for controlling record of the presentinvention, the above described information recording apparatus of thepresent invention can be relatively easily realized as a computer readsand executes the computer program from a program storage device, such asa ROM, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, and a hard disk or the like, or as itexecutes the computer program after downloading the program through acommunication device.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a computerprogram for controlling reproduction which controls a computer providedin the above-described information reproducing apparatus of the presentinvention (including its various aspects) and which causes the computerto function as at least one portion of the reproducing device.

According to the computer program for controlling reproduction of thepresent invention, the above described information reproducing apparatusof the present invention can be relatively easily realized as a computerreads and executes the computer program from a program storage device,such as a ROM, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, and a hard disk or the like, or asit executes the computer program after downloading the program through acommunication device.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a computerprogram for controlling record and reproduction which controls acomputer provided in the above-described information recording andreproducing apparatus of the present invention (including its variousaspects) and which causes the computer to function as at least oneportion of the first recording device, the second recording device, thethird recording device, and the reproducing device.

According to the computer program for controlling record andreproduction of the present invention, the above described informationrecording and reproducing apparatus of the present invention can berelatively easily realized as a computer reads and executes the computerprogram from a program storage device, such as a ROM, a CD-ROM, aDVD-ROM, and a hard disk or the like, or as it executes the computerprogram after downloading the program through a communication device.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a datastructure including a control signal, in which an entire streamincluding a plurality of portion streams, each of which is provided witha series of content information, is multiplexed by a unit of packet,which is a physically accessible unit, having an object data file, whichis a logically accessible unit, for storing object data which isprovided with a plurality of packets, each storing therein a piece ofthe content information; a reproduction sequence information file forstoring reproduction sequence information which defines a reproductionsequence of the object data stored in the object data file; and anobject information file for storing, as reproduction control informationfor controlling the reproduction of the object data file, correspondencedefinition information which defines a correspondence relationshipbetween a plurality of packets multiplexed on a time axis and theplurality of portion streams, the object data file being multiplexed bythe unit of packet and being recorded in a first area on the informationrecording medium, the object information file being not multiplexed bythe unit of packet and being recorded in a second area which isdifferent from the first area on the information recording medium.

According to the data structure including a control signal of thepresent invention, as with the above-described information recordingmedium, it is possible to multiplex and record a large amount of contentinformation, such as a plurality of shows or programs, and relativelysimply reproduce a desired one from among them.

The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by aprogram storage device readable by a computer in an informationrecording apparatus for tangibly embodying a program of instructionsexecutable by the computer to perform method processes of recordinginformation, the method processes provided with: a first recordingprocess of recording an object data file, which is a logicallyaccessible unit, for storing object data which is provided with aplurality of packets, each storing therein a piece of the contentinformation; a second recording process of recording a reproductionsequence information file for storing reproduction sequence informationwhich defines a reproduction sequence of the object data stored in theobject data file; and a third recording process of recording an objectinformation file for storing, as reproduction control information forcontrolling the reproduction of the object data file, correspondencedefinition information which defines a correspondence relationshipbetween a plurality of packets multiplexed on a time axis and theplurality of portion streams, the first recording process multiplexingthe object data file by the unit of packet and recording it in a firstarea on the information recording medium, the third recording processnot multiplexing the object information file by the unit of packet andrecording it in a second area which is different from the first area onthe information recording medium.

According to the program storage device, such as a CD-ROM, a ROM, aDVD-ROM, and a hard disk or the like, of the present invention, theabove described information recording method of the present inventioncan be relatively easily realized as a computer reads and executes theprogram of instructions or as it executes the program after downloadingthe program through a communication device.

The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by acomputer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing aseries of instructions which cause a computer in an informationrecording apparatus to perform method processes of recordinginformation, the method processes provided with: a first recordingprocess of recording an object data file, which is a logicallyaccessible unit, for storing object data which is provided with aplurality of packets, each storing therein a piece of the contentinformation; a second recording process of recording a reproductionsequence information file for storing reproduction sequence informationwhich defines a reproduction sequence of the object data stored in theobject data file; and a third recording process of recording an objectinformation file for storing, as reproduction control information forcontrolling the reproduction of the object data file, correspondencedefinition information which defines a correspondence relationshipbetween a plurality of packets multiplexed on a time axis and theplurality of portion streams, the first recording process multiplexingthe object data file by the unit of packet and recording it in a firstarea on the information recording medium, the third recording processnot multiplexing the object information file by the unit of packet andrecording it in a second area which is different from the first area onthe information recording medium.

According to the computer data signal embodied in the carrier wave ofthe present invention, as the computer downloads the program in thecomputer data signal through a computer network or the like, andexecutes this program, it is possible to relatively easily realize theabove described information recording method of the present invention.

The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by aprogram storage device readable by a computer in an informationreproducing apparatus to perform method processes of reproducinginformation, the method processes provided with: a reading process ofphysically reading information from the information recording medium;and a reproducing process of reproducing the object data bydemultiplexing for the information read by the reading process from thefirst area on the basis of the reproduction control information and thereproduction sequence information included in the information read bythe reading process from the second area.

According to the program storage device, such as a CD-ROM, a ROM, aDVD-ROM, and a hard disk or the like, of the present invention, theabove described information reproducing method of the present inventioncan be relatively easily realized as a computer reads and executes theprogram of instructions or as it executes the program after downloadingthe program through a communication device.

The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by acomputer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing aseries of instructions which cause a computer in an informationreproducing apparatus to perform method processes of reproducinginformation, the method processes provided with: a reading process ofphysically reading information from the information recording medium;and a reproducing process of reproducing the object data bydemultiplexing for the information read by the reading process from thefirst area on the basis of the reproduction control information and thereproduction sequence information included in the information read bythe reading process from the second area.

According to the computer data signal embodied in the carrier wave ofthe present invention, as the computer downloads the program in thecomputer data signal through a computer network or the like, andexecutes this program, it is possible to relatively easily realize theabove described information reproducing method of the present invention.

The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by aprogram storage device readable by a computer in an informationrecording and reproducing apparatus to perform method processes ofrecording and reproducing information, the method processes providedwith: a first recording process of recording the object data file; asecond recording process of recording the reproduction sequenceinformation file; a third recording process of recording the objectinformation file; a reading process of physically reading informationfrom the information recording medium; and a reproducing process ofreproducing the object data by demultiplexing for the information readby the reading process from the first area on the basis of thereproduction control information and the reproduction sequenceinformation included in the information read by the reading process fromthe second area.

According to the program storage device, such as a CD-ROM, a ROM, aDVD-ROM, and a hard disk or the like, of the present invention, theabove described information recording and reproducing method of thepresent invention can be relatively easily realized as a computer readsand executes the program of instructions or as it executes the programafter downloading the program through a communication device.

The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by acomputer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing aseries of instructions which cause a computer in an informationrecording and reproducing apparatus to perform method processes ofrecording and reproducing information, the method processes providedwith: a first recording process of recording the object data file; asecond recording process of recording the reproduction sequenceinformation file; a third recording process of recording the objectinformation file; a reading process of physically reading informationfrom the information recording medium; and a reproducing process ofreproducing the object data by demultiplexing for the information readby the reading process from the first area on the basis of thereproduction control information and the reproduction sequenceinformation included in the information read by the reading process fromthe second area.

According to the computer data signal embodied in the carrier wave ofthe present invention, as the computer downloads the program in thecomputer data signal through a computer network or the like, andexecutes this program, it is possible to relatively easily realize theabove described information recording and reproducing method of thepresent invention.

These functions and other advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description of embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic structure of an optical disc asbeing one embodiment of an information recording medium of the presentinvention, the upper part being a schematic plan view of the opticaldisc having a plurality of areas, the corresponding bottom part being anschematic diagram of the area structure in the radial direction;

FIG. 2 are a schematic diagram of the conventional program stream of theMPEG 2 (FIG. 2(a)) and a schematic diagram of the transport stream ofthe MPEG 2 used in the embodiment (FIG. 2(b));

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure recorded on theoptical disc in the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing details of the data structure ineach object shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing that an elementary stream for aprogram #1 at an upper level and an elementary stream for a program #2at a middle level are multiplexed, constituting a transport stream forthese two programs at a low level, with the horizontal axis as a timeaxis;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the image of TS packetsmultiplexed in one transport stream as a packet alignment along time;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the logical construction of dataon the optical disc in the embodiment, focusing on the development of alogical hierarchy. to an object hierarchy or an entity hierarchy;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing two specific examples of thelogical construction in a play list constituting one title shown in FIG.7;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an information recording/reproducingapparatus related to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a record operation (part 1) of theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing a record operation (part 2) of theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a record operation (part 3) of theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing a record operation (part 4) of theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a reproduction operation of theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing an entire access flow inreproducing, in relation to the logical structure of the optical disc inthe embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing the data structures of TS objects#1 and #2 including a plurality of transport streams in one specificexample of the embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing the data structures of a PAT anda PMT of the TS object #1 in one specific example of the embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing the data structures of a PAT anda PMT of the TS object #2 in one specific example of the embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing the data structure of the TSobject #3 in one specific example of the embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing the data structures of a PAT anda PMT of the TS object #3 in one specific example of the embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing the data structure finallyconstructed on the optical disc in one specific example of theembodiment;

FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram showing one specific example of the datastructure of a disc information file in one specific example of theembodiment;

FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram showing one specific example of the datastructure of a title information table included in the disc informationfile in one specific example of the embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram showing one specific example of the datastructure of a play list information table constructed in a play listinformation file in one specific example of the embodiment; and

FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram showing one specific example of the datastructures of an AU table constructed in an object information file andan ES map table related to the AU table in one specific example of theembodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be hereinafterexplained in order, for each embodiment with reference to the drawings.

(Information Recording Medium)

The embodiment of an information recording medium of the presentinvention will be explained with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 8. In thisembodiment, the information recording medium of the present invention isapplied to an optical disc of a type capable of recording (writing) andreproducing (reading).

Firstly, the basic structure of the optical disc in the embodiment willbe explained with reference to FIG. 1. The upper part of FIG. 1 is aschematic plan view of the optical disc structure having a plurality ofareas, and the bottom part is a schematic diagram of the area structurein its radial direction As shown in FIG. 1, an optical disc 100 isrecordable in various recoding methods, such as a magnet-optical methodand a phase transition method, onto which it is possible to record(write) information a plurality of times or only once. It is providedwith a lead-in area 104, a data record area 106, and a lead-out area 108on a recording surface on the disc main body, which is about 12 cm indiameter, as is the DVD, with a center hole 102 as the center, in thedirection from the inner circumference to the outer circumference. Ineach area, groove tracks and land tracks are alternately placed spirallyor coaxially with the center hole 102 as the center, for example. Thesegroove tracks may be wobbled, and pre-pits may be formed on either orboth of the tracks. Incidentally, the present invention is not speciallylimited to an optical disc having these three areas.

Secondly, the structure of a transport stream (TS) recorded on theoptical disc of the present invention will be explained with referenceto FIGS. 2. FIG. 2(a) shows the structure of a conventional programstream of the MPEG 2, as a comparison. FIG. 2(b) shows the structure ofthe transport stream (TS) of the MPEG 2.

In FIG. 2(a), one program stream includes (i) only one video stream forvideo data as being the video information, and further (ii) at most 8audio streams for audio data as being the audio information, and also(iii) at most 32 sub picture streams for sub picture data as being thesub picture information, along a time axis t. Namely, the video datamultiplexed at an arbitrary time point tx is related to only the onevideo stream. For example, a plurality of video streams corresponding toa plurality of TV shows or movies cannot be included in the programstream at the same time. In order to multiplex the TV show and the likeaccompanying pictures and transmit or record them, at least one videostream is required for each TV show and the like, so that the programstream format in which only one video stream exists cannot allow theplurality of TV shows and the like to be transmitted or recorded aftermultiplexing them.

In FIG. 2(b), one transport stream (TS) includes (i) a plurality ofvideo streams, as an elementary stream (ES) for the video data as beingthe video information, and further (ii) a plurality of audio streams, asan elementary stream (ES) for the audio data as being the audioinformation, and also (iii) a plurality of sub picture streams, as anelementary stream (ES) for the sub picture data as being the sub pictureinformation. Namely, the video data multiplexed at an arbitrary timepoint tx is related to the plurality of video streams. For example, theplurality of video streams corresponding to a plurality of TV shows ormovies can be included in the transport stream at the same time. Asdescribed above, the transport stream format whose transmission rate ishigh and in which there are the plurality of video streams can allow theplurality of TV shows and the like to be transmitted or recorded aftermultiplexing them. However, digital broadcasting that employs anexisting transport stream does not transmit the sub picture stream.

Incidentally, in FIG. 2(a) and FIG. 2(b), the video stream, the audiostream, and the sub picture stream are arranged in this order from up todown for explanatory convenience; however, this order is not intended tocorrespond to an order of multiplexing them in units of packet, asdescribed later, or the like. In the transport stream, one combination,which is one video stream, two audio streams, and two sub picturestreams, conceptually corresponds to one show, for example.

The optical disc 100 in the embodiment described above is constructed tomultiplex-and-record onto it the transport stream (TS) including aplurality of elementary streams (ES) in the above manner, tosimultaneously record onto it the plurality of shows or programs.

Next, a data structure recorded on the optical disc 100 will beexplained with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. FIG. 3 is a schematicdiagram showing the data structure recorded on the optical disc 100.FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing details of the data structure ineach object shown in FIG. 3.

In the explanation below, a “title” is a reproduction unit sequentiallyexecuting a plurality of “play lists”, and is a logically large groupedunit, such as one movie and one TV show. The “play list” is a file forstoring information necessary for the reproduction of an “object”, andis provided with a plurality of “Items”, each of which storesinformation about the reproduction range of the object to access theobject. More specifically, “IN point information” indicating a startaddress of the object and “OUT point information” indicating an endaddress of the object are written in each item. Incidentally, these “INpoint information” and “OUT point information” may show the addressesdirectly, or show the addresses indirectly by showing a time length or atime point on a reproduction time axis. The “object” is the entityinformation of a content constituting the transport stream of the MPEG 2described above.

In FIG. 3, the optical disc 100 is provided with the following fourfiles as a logical structure: a disc information file 110, a play (P)list information file 120, an object information file 130, and an objectdata file 140. It is further provided with a file system 105 to managethose files. Incidentally, FIG. 3 does not directly show the physicaldata alignment on the optical disc 100, but it is possible to recordwith the arrangement order shown in FIG. 3 corresponding to thearrangement order shown in FIG. 1. Namely, it is possible to record thefile system 105 or the like in the lead-in area 104, and then in thedata record area 106, and further it is also possible to record theobject data file 140 or the like in the data record area 106. Even ifthe lead-in area 104 and/or the lead-out area 108 shown in FIG. 1 do noexist, the file structure shown in FIG. 3 can be constructed.

The disc information file 110 is a file for storing comprehensiveinformation about the whole optical disc 100, and it stores disccomprehensive information 112, a title information table 114, and otherinformation 118. The disc comprehensive information 112 stores the totalnumber of titles and the like in the optical disc 100, for example. Thetitle information table 114 stores, for each title, each title type(e.g. a sequential reproduction type, a branch type, and the like, asdescribed later with reference to FIG. 8) and a play (P) list number,which constitutes each title, as logical information.

The play list information file 120 is a reproduction sequenceinformation file. The play list information file 120 stores a play (P)list information table 121, which indicates the logical construction ofeach play list and which is separated into play (P) list comprehensiveinformation 122, a play (P) list pointer 124, a plurality of play (P)lists 126 (P lists #1 to #n), and other information 128. This play listinformation table 121 stores the logical information of each play list126 in the order of the play list number in other words, the storingorder of each play list 126 is the play list number. Moreover, it isalso possible to refer to the same play list 126 from a plurality oftitles at the above described title information table 114. Namely, evenin the case where a title #n and a title #m use the same play list #p,it is possible to construct such that the play list #p in the play listinformation table 121 is pointed at the title information table 114.

The object information file 130 stores various attribute informationabout the storing position in the object data file 140 for each Itemconstituted in each play list 126 (i.e. a logical address that is areproduction object) and about the reproduction of the Item. Especially,in this embodiment, the object information file 130 stores an AU(Associate Unit) table 131 including a plurality of AU information 132I(AU #1 to AU #n), as described later in detail, an ES (ElementaryStream) map table 134, and other information 138.

The object data file 140 stores a plurality of TS objects 142 (TS #1object to TS #n object) for each transport streams (TS). Namely, itstores a plurality of entity data of the contents to be actuallyreproduced.

Incidentally, the four files explained with reference to FIG. 3 may bestored with each of them being separated into a plurality of files, andall of them may be managed or administered by the file system 105. Forexample, the object data file 140 can be separated into a plurality ofdata files, such as an object data file #1, an object data-file #2, . .. and the like.

As shown in FIG. 4, the TS object 142 shown in FIG. 3, which is alogically reproducible unit, is divided into a plurality of alignedunits 143, each of which has 6 kB data amount, for example. The head ofthe aligned units 143 corresponds to (or is “aligned” with) the head ofthe TS object 142. Each aligned unit 143 is further segmentized into aplurality of source packets 144, each of which has 192 B data amount.The source packet 144 is a physically reproducible unit, and by usingthis unit, i.e. by a unit of packet, at least the video data, the audiodata, and the sub picture data are multiplexed among the data on theoptical disc 100. The other information may be also multiplexed in thismanner. Each source packet 144 includes: control information 145, whichhas 4 B data amount, for controlling the reproduction, such as a packetarrival time stamp indicating a reproduction start time point (i.e. atime point of starting demultiplexing) of the TS (transport stream)packet on a reproduction time axis etc.; and a TS packet 146, which has188B data amount. The TS packet 146 has a packet header 146 a at thehead portion thereof. The video data is packetized to be a “videopacket”, the audio data is packetized to be an “audio packet”, the subpicture data is packetized to be a “sub picture packet”, or the otherdata is packetized.

Next, with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, it will be explained themultiple record of the video data, the audio data, the sub picture data,and the like, which are in the transport stream format as shown in FIG.2(b), on the optical disc 100 by the TS packet 146 shown in FIG. 4. FIG.5 is a schematic diagram showing that an elementary stream (ES) for aprogram #1 (PG :1) at the upper level in the figure and an elementarystream (ES) for a program #2 (PG 2) at the middle level in the figureare multiplexed, constituting a transport stream (TS) for these twoprograms (PG 1 & PG 2) at the lower level in the figure, with thehorizontal axis as a time axis. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showingthe image of TS packets multiplexed in one transport stream (TS) as apacket alignment along time.

As shown in FIG. 5, the TS packets 146 with the video data for theprogram #1 packetized are discretely arranged with respect to the timeaxis in the elementary stream for the, program #1 (the upper one), forexample. The TS packets 146 with the video data for the program #2packetized are discretely arranged with respect to the time axis in theelementary stream for the program #2 (the middle one), for example.Then, these TS packets 146 are multiplexed, constructing the transportstream (the lower one) for those two programs. Incidentally, this isomitted in FIG. 5 for explanatory convenience, but in fact, theelementary stream provided with the TS packets in which the audio datais packetized and the sub picture stream provided with the TS packets inwhich the sub picture data is packetized may be multiplexed as theelementary stream for the program #1 in the same manner as shown in FIG.2(b). Moreover, in addition to these, the elementary stream providedwith the TS packets in which the audio data is packetized and the subpicture stream provided with the TS packets in which the sub picturedata is packetized may be multiplexed as the elementary stream for theprogram #2 in the same manner.

As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, one TS stream is constructedfrom many TS packets 146 multiplexed as described above. Then, the manyTS packets 146 in this multiplexed form obtain the control information145 such as the packet arrival time stamp or the like and aremultiplexed-and-recorded on the optical disc 100. Incidentally, “Element(i0j)” is used in FIG. 6 for the TS packet 146 comprising data whichconstitutes the program #i (i=1, 2, 3), with j (j=1, 2, . . . ) as anumber indicating the order for each stream which constitutes theprogram. This (i0j) is a packet ID, which is the identification numberof the TS packet 146 for each elementary stream. A specific value isgiven to this packet ID between the plurality of TS packets 146multiplexed on the time axis (e.g., on the time axis of recording orreproducing a plurality of elementary streams) so that the plurality ofTS packets 146 can be mutually distinguished even if they aremultiplexed on the time axis.

In FIG. 6, a PAT (Program Associate Table) and a PMT (Program Map Table)are also packetized in units of the TS packet 146 and are multiplexed.Among them, the PAT stores a table indicating a plurality of PMT packetIDs. Especially, with regard to the PAT, the MPEG 2 standard defines theaddition of (000), as shown in FIG. 6, as a predetermined packet ID.Namely, it is constructed such that the TS packet 146 in which the PATis packetized is detected as the TS packet 146 with its packet ID (000)from among many packets multiplexed on the time axis. The PMT stores atable indicating the packet ID for each elementary stream constitutingeach program with respect to one or a plurality of programs. To the PMT,an arbitrary packet ID may be added, but the packet ID of the PMT isindicated by the PAT detectable having the packet ID as (000), asdescribed above. Therefore, the TS packets 146 in each of which the PMTis packetized (i.e. the TS packets 146 with the packet IDs (100), (200),and (300) added in FIG. 6) are detected by virtue of the PAT from amongmany packets multiplexed on the time axis.

In the case where the transport stream is digital-transmitted as shownin FIG. 6, the tuner can pick up the packets corresponding to thedesired elementary stream from among the multiplexed packets byreferring to the PAT and the PMT as constructed above, and demodulatethem.

In this embodiment, the TS packet 146 stored in the TS object 142 shownin FIG. 4 includes these PAT and PMT packets. Namely, when the transportstream shown in FIG. 6 is transmitted, it can be recorded onto theoptical disc 100 as it is, which is a great advantage.

Moreover, in this embodiment, the PAT and PMT as recorded above are notreferred to when reproducing the optical disc 100. Instead, referring tothe AU table 131 and the ES map table 134, as shown in FIG. 3 and asdescribed later in detail, allows more effective reproduction, and alsoenables complicate multi-vision reproduction and the like to be treatedwith. On that account, in this embodiment, the correspondingrelationship between the elementary stream and the packet, which areobtained by referring to the PAT and the PMT when demodulating andrecording, is stored in the object information file 130 in the form ofthe AU table 131 and the ES map table 134 without packetizing normultiplexing.

Next, the logical construction of the data on the optical disc 100 willbe explained with reference to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. FIG. 7 is a schematicdiagram showing the logical construction of the data on the optical disc100, focusing on the development of a logical hierarchy to an objecthierarchy or an entity hierarchy. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showingtwo specific examples of the logical construction in the play (P) listconstituting one title shown in FIG. 7.

In FIG. 7, the optical disc 100 records one or a plurality of titles200, each of which is a logically large unit, such as one movie or oneTV show. Each title 200 is logically constructed from one or a pluralityof play lists 126. In each title 200, the plurality of play lists 126may have a sequential structure or a branch structure, which will bedescribed later with reference to FIG. 8. Incidentally, in the case of asimple logical construction, one title 200 is constructed by one playlist 126. Moreover, one play list 126 can be referred to from theplurality of titles 200.

Each play list 126 is logically constructed from a plurality of Items(i.e., the play items) 204. In each play list 126, the plurality ofItems 204 may have the sequential structure or the branch structure.Moreover, one Item 204 can be referred to from the plurality of playlists 126. The reproduction range of the TS object 142 is logicallyspecified by the above described IN point information and OUT pointinformation written in the Item 204. Then, by referring to objectinformation 130 d with respect to the reproduction range logicallyspecified, the reproduction range of the TS object 142 is physicallyspecified. Here, the object information 130 d includes variousinformation to reproduce the TS object 142, such as the attributeinformation of the TS object 142 and EP (Entry Pass) map information 134d required for a data search in the TS object 142 (incidentally, the ESmap table 134 shown in FIG. 3 includes a plurality of such EP mapinformation 134 d).

When reproducing the TS object 142 by an informationrecording/reproducing apparatus, which will be described later, aphysical address to be reproduced in the TS object 142 is obtained fromthe Item 204 and the object information 130 d, and the desiredelementary stream is reproduced.

In this embodiment, as described above, the association from the logicalhierarchy to the object hierarchy of the reproduction sequence is madeby the IN point information and the OUT point information described inthe Item 204 and by the EP map information 134 d described in the ES maptable 134 (refer to FIG. 3) of the object information 130 d, whichenables the elementary stream to be reproduced.

Especially in this embodiment, the title 200 is classified broadly intotwo categories: “one play list type title” and “a plurality of playlists type title”, and the latter is further categorized into what isconstructed by a “sequential play list” and what is constructed by a“branch play list”.

Among them, in the title 200 constructed by “the sequential play list”,the play lists #1, #2, and #3 are sequentially reproduced by simplyfollowing the reproduction time axis, as shown in the upper part of FIG.8. In this case, the reproduction order corresponds to the play listnumber, and therefore, all of the play list numbers are stored in thereproduction order in the pertinent title #n information.

On the other hand, in the title 200 constructed by “the branch playlist”, as shown in the lower part of FIG. 8, the play list #2 or #3 isselectively reproduced following the play list #1, and further, the playlist #4 or #5 is selectively reproduced following the play list #2. Inthis case, with regard to the reproduction order, the play list 126 tobe reproduced next is determined by the branch condition when finishingthe reproduction of the play lists 126 in the title. Therefore, thearrangement order of the play lists 126 in the title #n information doesnot correspond to the reproduction order. Only the play list 126 at thehead position is specified. The branch condition is stored in the otherareas. Because of this, it is possible to choose either of the playlists 126 by an audience's interactive operation, for example.

Even in the any case of the titles shown in FIG. 8, it is constructed byone or more play lists 126. Especially in this embodiment, it ispossible to multiplex and to record a plurality of elementary streams inunits of the TS packet 146.

As described above, in this embodiment, the multiplexing and recordingis performed on the optical disc 100 in units of the TS packet 146, andbecause of this, it is possible to multiplex-and-record onto the opticaldisc 100 the transport stream including many elementary streams as shownin FIG. 2(b). According to this embodiment, in the case of recordingdigital broadcasting onto the optical disc 100, a plurality of shows orprograms can be recorded at the same time within the limit of the recordrate. Here, it employs a method of multiplexing the plurality of showsor programs and recording them into one TS object 142. The embodiment ofan information recording/reproducing apparatus executable this kind ofrecord processing will be explained hereinafter.

(Information Recording/Reproducing Apparatus)

Next, the embodiment of the information recording/reproducing apparatusof the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 9 toFIG. 14. FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the informationrecording/reproducing apparatus, and FIG. 10 to FIG. 14 are flow chartsshowing its operation.

In FIG. 9, an information recording/reproducing apparatus 500 isclassified broadly into a reproduction system and a record system, canrecord information onto the optical disc 100 described above, and canreproduce the information recorded on this. In this embodiment, theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus 500 is for recording andreproducing as described above, but it is possible to construct anembodiment of the recording apparatus of the present invention from therecord system part of the information recording/reproducing apparatus500. On the other hand, it is possible to construct an embodiment of thereproducing apparatus of the present invention from the reproductionsystem part of the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500.

The information recording/reproducing apparatus 500 is provided with: anoptical pickup 502; a servo unit 503; a spindle motor 504; a demodulator506; a demultiplexer 508; a video decoder 511; an audio decoder 512; asub picture decoder 513; an adder 514; a system controller 520; a memory530; a modulator 606; a formatter 608; a TS object generator 610; avideo encoder 611; an audio encoder 612; and a sub picture encoder 618.The system controller 520 is provided with a file system/logicalstructure data generator 521; and a file system/logical structure datainterpret device 522. Moreover, the memory 530 and a user interface 720for the user input of the title information and the like are connectedto the system controller 520.

Among these constitutional elements, the demodulator 506, thedemultiplexer 508, the video decoder 511, the audio decoder 512, the subpicture decoder 513, and the adder 514 constitute the reproductionsystem, mostly. On the other hand, among these constitutional elements,the modulator 606, the formatter 608, the TS object generator 610, thevideo encoder 611, the audio encoder 612, and the sub picture encoder613 constitute the record system, mostly. The optical pickup 502, theservo unit 503, the spindle motor 504, the system controller 520, thememory 530, and the user interface 720 for the user input of the titleinformation and the like are shared for both the reproduction system andthe record system, mostly. Moreover, a TS object data source 700, avideo data source 711, an audio data source 712, and a sub picturesource 713 are prepared for the record system. The file system/logicalstructure data generator 521 installed in the system controller 520 ismainly used in the record system, and the file system/logical structuredata interpret device 522 is mainly used in the reproduction system. Theoptical pickup 502 irradiates a light beam LB, such as a laser beam,onto the optical disc 100 with a first power as a reading light whenreproducing, and with a second power as a writing light when recordingwhile modulating it. The servo unit 503 is controlled by a controlsignal Sc1 outputted from the system controller 520 when reproducing andrecording, and it performs a focus servo, a tracking servo, and the likeat the optical pickup 502, as well as performing a spindle servo at thespindle motor 504. The spindle motor 504 is constructed to spin theoptical disc 100 at a predetermined speed while receiving the spindleservo by the servo unit 503.

(i) Structure and Operation in Record System

Next, the specific structure and operation of each constitutionalelement constituting the record system in the informationrecording/reproducing apparatus 500 will be explained case by case, withreference to FIG. 9 to FIG. 13.

(i-1) The Case of Using the Already Prepared TS Object

This case will be explained with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10.

In FIG. 9, the TS object data source 700 is provided with a recordstorage, such as a video tape and a memory, and it stores TS object dataD1.

In FIG. 10, firstly, the information about each title (e.g. thestructure content of a program list and the like) logically constructedon the optical disc 100 using the TS object data D1 is inputted from theuser interface 720 to the system controller 520, as a user input I2 ofthe title information and the like. Then, the system controller 520takes in the user input I2 of the title information and the likeobtained from the user interface 720 (step S21: Yes and step S22). Inthis case, the user interface 720 is controlled by a control signal Sc4from the system controller 520, and it can perform input processingaccording to the content to be recorded, such as choosing through atitle menu screen. Incidentally, in the case where the user input hasbeen already performed or the like (step S21: No), this processing isomitted.

Then, the TS object data source 700 is controlled by a control signalSc8 giving an instruction for reading out the data from the systemcontroller 520, and outputs the TS object data D1. Then, the systemcontroller 520 takes in the TS object data D1 from the TS object source700 (step S23), and performs the analysis of the data array of the TSobject data D1 (e.g. a record data length and the like), the analysis ofeach elementary stream structure (e.g. understanding of ES_PID(Elementary Stream Packet Identification number) as described later),and the like, by virtue of a TS analysis function of the filesystem/logical structure data generator 521, for example, on the basisof the PAT , the PMT, and the like packetized as well as the video dataand the like as described above (step S24).

Then, the system controller 520 prepares the disc information file 110,the play list information file 120, the object information file 130, andthe file system 105 (refer to FIG. 3), as logical information file dataD4, by virtue of the file system/logical structure data generator 521,from the user input I2 of the taken-in title information and the likeand from the analysis results of the data array of the TS object data D1and each elementary stream (step S25). The memory 530 is used whenpreparing the logical information file data D4 described above.

Incidentally, such a variation that the data about the data array of theTS object data D1, the data about the construction information of eachelementary stream, and the like are prepared in advance, is apparentlyand variously conceivable. Such a variation is also within the scope ofthe embodiment.

In FIG. 9, the formatter 608 is a device for performing a data arrayformat to store onto the optical disc 100 the TS object data D1 and thelogical information file data D4. More specifically, the formatter 608is provided with a switch Sw1 and a switch Sw2 and isswitching-controlled by a switch control signal Sc5 from the systemcontroller 520. When formatting the TS object data D1, it connects theswitch Sw1 to a {circle over (1)} side and the switch Sw2 to the {circleover (1)} side so as to output the TS object data D1 from the TS objectdata source 700. Incidentally, the transmission control of the TS objectdata D1 is performed by the control signal Sc8 from the systemcontroller 520. On the other hand, when formatting the logicalinformation file data D4, the formatter 608 is switching-controlled bythe switch control signal Sc5 from the system controller 520, andconnects the switch Sw2 to a {circle over (2)} side so as output thelogical information file data D4.

In a step S26 in FIG. 10, (i) the logical information file data D4 fromthe file system/logical structure data generator 521 in the step S25 or(ii) the TS object data D1 from the TS object data source 700 isoutputted through the formatter 608 by the switching-control by theformatter 608 as constructed above (step S26).

The selection output from the formatter 608 is transmitted to themodulator 606 as disc image data D5, is modulated by the modulator 606,and is recorded onto the optical disc 100 through the optical pickup 502(step S27). The system controller 520 also executes the disc recordcontrol in this case.

Then, if both the logical information file data D4 generated in the stepS25 and the corresponding TS object data D2 have not been completelyrecorded yet, the operational flow returns to the step S26, continuingto the record (step S28: No). Incidentally, there is no preference inthe record order of the logical information file data D4 and thecorresponding TS object data D2.

On the other hand, if the both have been already recorded, it is judgedwhether or not the record on the optical disc 100 is supposed to beended, on the basis of the presence or absence of an end command (stepS29). If not supposed to be ended (step S29: No), the operational flowreturns to the step S21, continuing the record processing. On the otherhand, if supposed to be ended (step S29: Yes), a series of recordprocessing ends.

As described above, the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500performs the record processing in the case of using the already preparedTS object.

Incidentally, the example in FIG. 10 shows that the logical informationfile data D4 and the corresponding TS object data D2 are outputted inthe step S26, after preparing the logical information file data D4 inthe step S25. However, it is also possible to execute the output of theTS object data D2 and/or the record of the TS object data D2 onto theoptical disc 100 before the step S25, and after or in parallel with thisrecording, it is possible to generate and record the logical informationfile data D4.

(i-2) The Case of Receiving and Recording the Transport Stream on Air

This case will be explained with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 11.Incidentally, in FIG. 11, the same steps as those in FIG. 10 have thesame step reference numbers, and their explanation will be omitted asoccasion demands.

Again, in this case, the similar processing is performed, as is “thecase of using the already prepared TS object” described above.Therefore, focusing on the differences from this case, the explanationwill be done hereinafter.

In the case of receiving and recording the transport stream on air, orthe transport stream being broadcasted, the TS object data source 700 isprovided with a receiver (set top box) for receiving the digitalbroadcast on air, for example, receives the TS object data D1, andtransmits it to the formatter 608 in real time (step S41). At the sametime, reception information D3 (i.e. information corresponding to thedata transmitted through the receiver and the interface of the systemcontroller 520) including the program construction information and theES_PID information, as described later, which are deciphered uponreceiving is taken into the system controller 520 and is stored into thememory 530 (step S44).

In the meantime, the TS object data D1 outputted to the formatter 608 isoutputted to the modulator 606 by the switching-control of the formatter608 (step S42), and is recorded onto the optical disc 100 (step S43).

Along with these operations, using the program construction informationand the ES_PID information included in the reception information D3taken-in upon receiving and stored in the memory 580, the filesystem/logical structure data generator 521 prepares the logicalinformation file data D4 (step S24 and step S25). Then, after completingthe record of a series of the TS object data D1, this logicalinformation file data D4. is additionally recorded onto the optical disc100 (step S46 and step S47). Incidentally, these step S24 and step S25,may be performed after the step S43.

Moreover, as the occasion demands (e.g. in the case of editing oneportion of the title, or the like), by adding the user input I2 of thetitle information and the like from the user interface 720 to theprogram construction information and the ES_PID information stored inthe memory 530, it is possible to prepare the logical information filedata D4 by the system controller 520 and additionally record this ontothe optical disc 100.

As described above, the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500performs the record processing in the case of receiving the transportstream on air and recording it in real time.

Incidentally, if all the reception data obtained when broadcasting isonce stored into an archive apparatus, and then, if this is used as theTS object source 700, the same processing as that in “the case of usingthe already prepared TS object” will do.

(i-3) The Case of Recording the Video Data, the Audio Data, and the SubPicture Data

This case will be explained with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 12.Incidentally, in FIG. 12, the same steps as those in FIG. 10 have thesame step reference numbers, and their explanation will be omitted asoccasion demands.

In the case of recording the video data, the audio data, and the subpicture data, which are individually prepared in advance, the video datasource 711, the audio data source 712, and the sub picture data source713 are individually provided with the record storage, such as a videotape and a memory, and store a video data DV, an audio data DA, and asub picture data DS, respectively.

These data sources are controlled by the control signal Sc8 giving aninstruction for reading out the data from the system controller 520, andthey transmit the video data DV, the audio data DA, and the sub picturedata DS, to the video encoder 611, the audio encoder 612, and the subpicture encoder 613, respectively (step S61). Then, the video encoder611, the audio encoder 612, and the sub picture encoder 613 execute apredetermined type of encode processing (step S62).

The TS object generator 610 is controlled by a control signal Sc6 fromthe system controller 520 and converts the data encoded in this mannerto the TS object data constituting the transport stream (step S63). Inthis case, the data array information of each TS object data (e.g. arecord data length and the like) and the construction information ofeach elementary stream (e.g. the ES_PID, as described later, and thelike) are transmitted from the TS object generator 610 as information I6to the system controller 520 and are stored into the memory 530 (stepS66).

On the other hand, the TS object data generated by the TS objectgenerator 610 is transmitted to the {circle over (2)} side of the switchSw1 of the formatter 608. Namely, when formatting the TS object datafrom the TS object generator 610, the formatter 608 isswitching-controlled by the switch control signal Sc5 from the systemcontroller 520 to change the switch Sw1 to the {circle over (2)} sideand the switch Sw2 to the {circle over (1)} side, thereby outputting theTS object data (step S64). Then, this TS object data is recorded ontothe optical disc 100 through the modulator 606 (step S65).

Along with these operations, using the data array information of each TSobject data and the construction information of each elementary streamtaken into the memory 530 as the information I6, the file system/logicalstructure data generator 521 prepares the logical information file dataD4 (step S24 and step S25). Then, after completing the record of aseries of the TS object data D1, this is additionally recorded onto theoptical disc 100 (step 867 and step S68). Incidentally, the step S24 andthe step S25 may be processed after the step S65.

Moreover, as the occasion demands (e.g. in the case of editing oneportion of the title), by adding the user input I2 such as the titleinformation and the like form the user interface 720 onto theseinformation stored in the memory 530, it is possible to prepare thelogical information file data D4 with the file system/logical structuregenerator 521 and additionally record this onto the optical disc 100.

As described above, the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500performs the record processing in the case of the recording the videodata, the audio data, and the sub picture data, which are individuallyprepared in advance.

Incidentally, this record processing is applicable even when recordingan arbitrary content the user has.

(i-4) The Case of Recording the Data by Authoring

This case will be explained with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 13.Incidentally, in FIG. 13, the same steps as those in FIG. 10 have thesame step reference numbers, and their explanation will be omitted asoccasion demands.

In this case, by combining the above described three types of recordprocessing in the three cases, an authoring system generates the TSobject, the logical information file data, and the like in advance (stepS81), and then completes the processing of switching-control performedat the formatter 608 (step S82). Then, the information obtained by thisoperation is transmitted to the modulator 606 equipped in front ofand/or behind an original disc cutting machine, as the disc image dataD5 (step S83), and this cutting machine prepares the original disc (stepS84).

(ii) Structure and Operation in Reproduction System

Next, the specific structure and operation of each constitutionalelement constituting the reproduction system in the informationrecording/reproducing apparatus 500 will be explained with reference toFIG. 9 and FIG. 14.

The user interface 720 inputs the title to be reproduced, itsreproduction condition, and the like to the system controller 520 as theuser input I2 of the title information and the like. In this case, theuser interface 720 is controlled by the control signal Sc4 from thesystem controller 520, and it can perform the input processing accordingto the content to be reproduced, such as choosing through a title menuscreen.

Responding to this, the system controller 520 controls the discreproduction with respect to the optical disc 100, and the opticalpickup 502 transmits a reading signal S7 to the demodulator 506.

The demodulator 506 demodulates a recorded signal recorded on theoptical disc 100 from this reading signal S7, and outputs it asdemodulated data D8. The logical information file data (i.e. the filesystem 105, the disc information file 110, the P list information file120, and the object information file 130, shown in FIG. 3) included inthis demodulated data D8 as being a not multiplexed information part issupplied to the system controller 520. On the basis of this logicalinformation file data, the system controller 520 executes variousreproduction control, such as processing of determining a reproductionaddress and controlling the optical pickup 502.

On the other hand, as for the TS object data included in the demodulateddata D8 as being a multiplexed information part, the demultiplxer 508 iscontrolled by a control signal Sc2 from the system controller 520 todemultiplex the TS object data. Here, the control signal Sc2 istransmitted so as to start demultiplexing when completing an access to areproduction position address by the reproduction control of the systemcontroller 520.

The demultiplexer 508 transmits and supplies the video packet, the audiopacket, and the sub picture packet, to the video decoder 511, the audiodecoder 512, and the sub picture decoder 513, respectively. Then, thevideo data DV, the audio data DA, and the sub picture data DS arerespectively decoded.

Incidentally, the packets included in the transport stream, in each ofwhich the PAT or the PMT is packetized as shown in FIG. 6, arerespectively included as a part of the demodulated data D8; however,they are discarded or abandoned at the demultiplexer 508.

The adder 514 is controlled by a control signal Sc3 giving aninstruction of the mixing from the system controller 520, and mixes orsuperimposes in a predetermined timing the video data DV and the subpicture data DS, which are respectively decoded at the video decoder 511and the sub picture decoder 513. The result is outputted as a videooutput from the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500 to a TVmonitor, for example.

On the other hand, the audio data DA decoded at the audio decoder 512 isoutputted as an audio output from the information recording/reproducingapparatus 500 to an external speaker, for example.

Here, the specific example of a reproduction processing routine by thesystem controller 520 will be explained with reference to FIG. 14.

In FIG. 14, assume that as an initial condition, the recognition of theoptical disc 100 in the reproduction system and the recognition of avolume structure and a file structure by the file system 105 (refer toFIG. 3) have been already completed by the system controller 520 and thefile system/logical structure data interpret device 522 inside thesystem controller 520. Here, it will be explained the operational flowafter obtaining the total number of the total titles from the disccomprehensive information 112 in the disc information file 110 and thenchoosing or selecting one title from among them.

Firstly, the choice or selection of the title is performed at the userinterface 720 (step S11), and the system controller 520 obtains theinformation about the reproduction sequence from a reading result of thefile system/logical structure data interpret device 522. Morespecifically, it obtains the information for indicating the process playlist structure of the logical hierarchy and the information of Item orItems constituting the process play list structure (refer to FIG. 7)(step S12). By this, a reproduction object is determined (step S13).

Then, the object information file 130 related to the TS object as beingthe reproduction object is obtained. Especially in the embodiment, theAU information 1321 and PU (Presentation Unit) information 302I, whichwill be described later, are also obtained as the information stored inthe object information file 130 (step S14). These obtained informationallow the association or correlation of the above described logicalhierarchy and the object hierarchy (refer to FIG. 7).

Then, on the basis of the information obtained in the step S14, theobject to be reproduced and the reproduction address are determined(step S15), and then the processing of the object hierarchy is started;namely, the actual reproduction is started (step S16).

While reproducing, it is monitored whether or not the command-input of a“scene change” corresponding to the change of the PU 302 in the AU 132based on the PU information 302I and the AU information 132I, asdescribed later is performed (step S17). If the “scene change” iscommand-inputted (step S17: Yes), the operational flow returns to thestep S15, and the processes from the step S15 to the step S17 arerepeatedly executed. On the other hand, if the “scene change” is notcommand-inputted (step S17: No), the presence or the absence of thecommand input indicative of ending the reproduction processing is judged(step S18). If there is not the command input indicating of ending (stepS18: No), the operational flow returns to the step S11, and theprocesses inform the step S11 to the step S18 are repeatedly executed.On the other hand, if there is the command input indicative of ending(step S18: Yes), a series of the reproduction processing ends.

(Access Flow in Reproducing)

Next, with reference to FIG. 15, the flow of the access in reproducingat the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500, which uses theAU information 132I and the PU information 302I, as one of the featuresof this embodiment, will be explained as well as the logical structureof the optical disc 100. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing anentire flow of the access in reproducing, in relation to the logicalstructure of the optical disc 100.

In FIG. 15, the logical structure of the optical disc 100 is categorizedbroadly into the following three hierarchies: a logical hierarchy 401;an object hierarchy 403; and a logic-object associating hierarchy 402mutually associating those two hierarchies.

Among them, the logical hierarchy 401 is a hierarchy that logicallyspecifies various logical information to reproduce the desired titlewhen reproducing, as well as the play list to be reproduced and itsconstruction content. In the logical hierarchy 401, disc information 110d indicating the entire titles 200 and the like on the optical disc 100is written within the disc information file 110 (refer to FIG. 3), andfurther, reproduction sequence information 120 d of the entire contentson the optical disc 100 is written within the play list information file120 (refer to FIG. 3). More specifically, the construction of one or aplurality of play lists 126 is written in each title 200 as thereproduction sequence information 120 d, and the construction of one ora plurality of Items 204 is written in each play list 126. Then, inaccessing at the time of the reproduction, the logical hierarchy 401 asdescribed above specifies the title 200 to be reproduced, the play list126 corresponding to this, and further the Item 204 corresponding tothis.

Then, the logic-object associating hierarchy 402 is a hierarchy thatspecifies the attribute and the physical storing address of the TSobject data 140 d to be reproduced, so as to specify the combinationand/or the construction of the TS object data 140 d as being the entitydata and perform an address conversion to the object hierarchy 403 fromthe logical hierarchy 401, on the basis of the information specified inthe logical hierarchy 401 as described above. More specifically, in thelogic-object associating hierarchy 402, the object information data 130d, which separates a group of the contents constituting each Item 204into units of the AU 132 and which finely separates each AU 132 intounits of the PU 302, is written in the object information file 130(refer to FIG. 3).

Here, “the PU (Presentation Unit) 302” is one example of “a sub group”in the present invention, and is a unit of associating and grouping aplurality of elementary streams for each unit of changing thereproduction. For example, as is the title #1 in the specific examplesshown later in FIG. 16 to FIG. 22, the PU 302 is a unit of grouping theelementary stream packet ID (ES_PID) and the like for each vision of a“multi-vision title”. If there are three audio streams in this PU 302,the user can also freely change three audio (e.g. audio in differentlanguages and the like) while reproducing this vision.

On the other hand, “the AU (Associate Unit) 132” is a unit ofassociating or grouping a plurality of elementary streams, such as thevideo stream, in the TS object used in one title, and is a group of oneor a plurality of PUs 302. More specifically, the AU 132 is a unit ofgrouping the elementary stream packet ID (ES_PID) for each TS objectindirectly through the PU 302. This AU 132 corresponds to a group of aplurality of shows or programs mutually having a special relationshipconsidering the contents, for example, a plurality of shows or programsmutually, changeable in multiple broadcasting and the like. Then, the PU302 corresponds to a group of one or a plurality of elementary streams,which belong to the same AU 132 and which constitute a plurality ofshows or programs mutually changeable by the user operation whenreproducing.

Therefore, if the AU 132 to be reproduced is specified, and moreover,the PU 302 is specified, then the elementary stream to be reproduced isspecified. Namely, even if not using the PAT nor the PMT shown in FIG.6, it becomes possible to reproduce the desired elementary stream fromamong the multiplexed and recorded elementary streams from the opticaldisc 100.

The more specific data structure of the AU information .132I and the PUinformation 302I, which respectively define the AU 132 and the PU 302described above, will be explained later with reference to FIG. 25.

Here, the elementary stream that is actually reproduced is identified orspecified by the ES_PID, which is the packet ID of the elementary stream(refer to FIG. 6), from the PU information 302I. At the same time, byconverting the information indicating the starting time and the endingtime of the reproduction to the address information of the elementarystream, the content in a specific area (or specific time range) of aspecific elementary stream is reproduced.

In this manner, in the logic-object associating hierarchy 402, theaddress conversion to the physical address related to each PU 302 fromthe logical address related to each Item 204 is executed.

Then, the object hierarchy 403 is a physical hierarchy to reproduce theactual TS object data 140 d. In the object hierarchy 403, the TS objectdata 140 d is written within the object data file 140 (refer to FIG. 3).More specifically, the TS packets 146 constituting a plurality ofelementary streams (ES) are multiplexed at each time point, and thearrangement of the TS packets 146 along the time axis enables aplurality of elementary streams to be constructed (refer to FIG. 5).Then, the plurality of TS packets 146 multiplexed at each time point areassociated with the PU 302 identified at the logic-object associatinghierarchy 402, for each elementary stream. Incidentally, it is alsopossible to associate a plurality of PUs 302 with one elementary stream(e.g. to share the elementary stream related to the same audio dataand/or the elementary stream related to the same sub picture data, amonga plurality of changeable shows or programs).

In this manner, in the object hierarchy 403, the actual object data isreproduced using the physical address obtained by the conversion at thelogic-object associating hierarchy 402.

As described above, the three hierarchies shown in FIG. 15 allow theexecution of the access with respect to the optical disc 100 inreproducing.

(Specific Example of Data Structure Recorded on Optical Disc)

Next, with reference to FIG. 16 to FIG. 21, the data structure on theoptical disc 100 on which the AU (Associate Unit) information and the PU(Presentation Unit) information, as one of the features of thisembodiment, are recorded will be explained, in addition to the PAT(Program Association Table) and the PMT (Program Map Table), as one ofthe features of the transport stream.

In this specific example, it will be explained the data structureconstructed on the optical disc 100 in the case of constructing twotitles within the optical disc 100 with respect to the object providedwith the three TS objects #1, #2, and #3. FIG. 16 schematically showsthe data structures of TS objects #1 and #2 including a plurality ofelementary streams in this specific example. FIG. 17 schematically showsthe data structures of the PAT and the PMT of the TS object #1 in thisspecific example. FIG. 18 schematically shows the data structures of aPAT and a PMT of the TS object #2 in this specific. FIG. 19schematically shows the data structure of the TS object #3 in thisspecific example. FIG. 20 schematically shows the data structures of aPAT and a PMT of the TS object #3 in this specific example. FIG. 21schematically shows the data structure finally constructed on theoptical disc 100 in this specific example.

Firstly, as shown in FIG. 16, the title #1 is constructed by using theTS #1 object and the TS #2 object as they are, with the transport streamthat is used in digital broadcasting as those two TS objects 142 (referto FIG. 3). The “show 1” in FIG. 16 is the binary broadcasting whichuses two programs, whose program map packet IDs (“Program Map PIDs”) are“100” and “200” that have program numbers (“Program No” in FIG. 16) “1”and “2”, respectively. On the other hand, the “show 2” in FIG. 16 isnormal broadcasting which uses one program, whose program map packet IDis “300” that has a program number “3”. For example, the elementarystream (ES) corresponding to the program whose program number is “1” is“Video 1 (video stream 1)”, “Audio 1 (audio stream 1)”, and “Audio 2(audio stream 2)”. Their elementary stream packet IDs (ES_PID) are“101”, “102”, and “103”, respectively (refer to FIG. 6). The othercontents of the elementary stream (ES) and the packet ID (ES_PID):are asshown in FIG. 16.

In this specific example as shown in FIG. 17, the TS #1 object isconstructed such that one PAT can specify three PMTs and that each PMTcan specify each TS packet of the elementary stream to be reproduced,with respect to the PAT and the PMT at the time of broadcasting.

More specifically, the packet ID (PID) of the PAT is set to a definedvalue such as “000”, and because of this, it is possible to firstlyspecify or determine the PAT from among many packets (refer to FIG. 6)multiplexed each time point. Moreover, referring to the contents of thespecified PAT, it is possible to specify the PMTs from among manypackets (refer to FIG. 6) multiplexed each time point by use of thepacket ID of the PMT for the “Program 1” (e.g. “100”), the packet ID ofthe PMT for the “Program 2” (e.g. “200”), or the packet ID of the PMTfor the “Program 3” (e.g. “300”).

Moreover, referring to the contents of the PMT as specified above canspecify the TS packet whose content to be reproduced is packetized, fromamong many packets multiplexed each time point (refer to FIG. 6). Forexample, in the case where the PMT for the “program 1” is specified, itis possible to specify the TS packet by use of the packet ID of the TSpacket for the “video stream 1” (e.g. “101”), the packet ID of the TSpacket for the “audio stream 1” (e.g. “102”), or the packet ID of the TSpacket for the “audio stream 2” (e.g. “103”). Moreover, as is the casewhere the PMT for the “program 2” and the PMT for the “program 3” arespecified, the TS packet to be reproduced can be specified.

Especially, in this specific example, a group of data constituting aseries of transport streams used for broadcasting (e.g. a sequentiallybroadcasted unit without CM (commercial) and the like) is treated as the“TS object” (refer to FIG. 3). Here, it is assumed that, firstly at thetime of broadcasting, two shows are transmitted by using the TS #1object as three programs, the “show 2” ends as time elapses, and after acommercial, the “show 1” is broadcasted by using the TS #2 object.Therefore, its program sequence is changed in the middle.

Furthermore, in this specific example as shown in FIG. 18, the TS #2object is constructed such that two PMTs can be specified by one PAT andthat each TS packet of the elementary stream to be reproduced can bespecified by each PMT, with respect to the PAT and the PMT at the timeof broadcasting.

As shown in FIG. 15 to FIG. 18, in this specific example, one title #1is constituted by the TS #1 object and the TS #2 object as they are atthe time of broadcasting, in which the CM contents are omitted.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 19, the title #2 is constructed by using theTS #3 object in this specific example. The authoring operation isapplied onto this TS object #3 so as to preliminarily store the TSobject #3 as ROM contents. The TS object #3 is provided with theelementary streams for the video data and for the audio data, andespecially, two elementary streams for the sub picture data (i.e.“subpicture 1” and “Sub picture 2” as the contents of the ES in FIG. 19).

In this specific example, as shown in FIG. 20, the TS #3 objectconstituting the title 2 has the simply constructed PAT and PMT.

FIG. 21 shows the summary of the data structure constructed on theoptical disc 100, which has been explained with reference to FIG. 15 toFIG. 20.

Namely, in FIG. 21, the data structure where the two titles are composedof three TS objects is constructed on the optical disc 100. Especially,the “'show 1”, which is binary-broadcasted, is logically reconstructedon the optical disc 100 as the title of a “multi vision” type (i.e. thetype with which a user can freely change to watch) similar to the “anglechange” of the DVD. In this change, this title does not use the audiostream “Audio 1” of the TS #1 object or the audio stream “Audio 6” ofthe TS #2 object, and further it does not use the elementary stream ofthe “show 2”.

(Each Information File Structure)

Next, with reference to FIG. 22 to FIG. 25, various information filesconstructed on the optical disc 100 in the embodiment, i.e. the datastructures of (1) the disc information file 110, (2) the play listinformation file 120, (3) the object information file 130, and (4) theobject data file 140, which have been explained with reference to FIG.3, will be explained using their own specific examples.

(1) Disc Information File:

Firstly, with reference to FIG. 22 and FIG. 23, the disc informationfile 110 will be explained in detail using one specific example. FIG. 22is a schematic diagram showing one specific example of the datastructure of the disc information file 110. FIG. 23 is a schematicdiagram showing one specific example of the data structure of the titleinformation table 114 included in the disc information file 110.

In this specific example as shown in FIG. 22, the disc information file110 stores therein the disc comprehensive information 112, the titleinformation table 114, and the other information 118.

Among them, the disc comprehensive information 112 is comprehensiveinformation, such as disc volume information indicating the serialnumber of one series constructed by a plurality of optical discs 100,total title number information and so on.

The title information table 114 stores therein the entire play listsconstituting each title and the other information, e.g. information foreach title, such as chapter information within the title and the like,and includes title pointer information, title #1 information, title #2information, and so on. Here, the “title pointer information” is thestoring address information of the title #n information, i.e. thestoring address information indicating the storing position of the title#n information in the title information table 114, as the correspondencerelationship is indicated with arrows in FIG. 22, and the “title pointerinformation” is written with a relative logical address. Then, thisinformation of the number of titles in the optical disc 100 is arrangedin the order of the titles as the relative logical address.Incidentally, the data amount of each storing address information may bea fixed byte or a changeable byte.

The other information 118 is information about each title, such as thetitle type, for example, the sequential type, the branch type, and thelike, which have been already explained with reference to FIG. 8, andthe total number of play lists.

Incidentally, in the specific example shown in FIG. 16 to FIG. 21, theboth titles are individually constructed by simply one play list title.Therefore, in the case of this specific example, the title informationtable 114 stored in the disc information file 110 shown in FIG. 22 iswritten as a table having relatively simple contents as shown in FIG.23.

(2) Play List Information File:

Next, with reference to FIG. 24, the play list information file 120 willbe explained in detail using one specific example. FIG. 24 is aschematic diagram showing one specific example of the data structure onthe play list information table 121 constructed in the play listinformation file 120.

In this specific example, as shown in FIG. 24, the play list informationfile 120 stores therein play list comprehensive information 122, a playlist pointer table 124, and a play list #1 information table and a playlist #2 information table 126, for each Field type, as the play listinformation table 121 (refer to FIG. 3).

Each Field may have a structure that allows the necessary number of eachtable to be added. For example, if there are four play lists, therelative Field may increase to four Fields under this structure, and sodoes the Item information table.

Among them, the play list comprehensive information (P listcomprehensive information) 122 describes therein the size of the playlist table, the total number of play lists, and the like.

The play list pointer table (P list pointer table) 124 stores thereinthe address of each play list written position as being the relativelogical address in the play list information table 126, as thecorrespondence relationship is indicated with arrows in FIG. 24.

The play list #1 information table (P list #1 information table) 126stores therein comprehensive information about the play list #1, theItem information table of the play list #1 (P list Item informationtable) and the other information. The play list #2 information table 126also stores therein the same type of information related to the playlist #2.

The “Item information table” stores therein the Item information of thetotal number of Items constituting one program list. Here, an AU numberin the AU (Associate Unit) table written in the “Item #1 (Item #1information)” or the “Item #2 (Item #2 information)” is the number ofthe AU, which stores information for specifying the address of the TSobject to be used for the Item reproduction, or specifying eachelementary stream (i.e. the video stream, the audio stream, or the subpicture stream) in the TS object to be used for the Item reproduction.

(3) Object Information File:

Next, with reference to FIG. 25, the object information file 130 will beexplained in detail using one specific example. FIG. 25 is a schematicdiagram showing one specific example of the data structures on the AUtable 131 (refer to FIG. 3) constructed in the object information file130 and on the ES map table 134 (refer to FIG. 3) related to the AUtable 131.

In this specific example, as shown in FIG. 25, the object informationfile 130 stores therein object information tables, The objectinformation tables comprise the AU table 131 shown in the upper part ofFIG. 25 and the ES map table 134 shown in the lower part.

In the upper part of FIG. 25, the AU table 131 may have a structure thatallows the necessary number of tables for each Field to be added. Forexample, if there are four AUs, the relative Field may increase to fourFields under this structure.

The AU table 131 stores “AU table comprehensive information” in whichthe number of AUs and the pointer to each AU, and the like are written,and “the other information” in other Field.

The AU table 131 describes therein the Index number (Index number= . . .) of the corresponding ES map table 134, as the AU information 132Iindicating an ES table Index #m in each PU #m corresponding to each AU#n. Here, the “AU” is a unit corresponding to a “show” in TV broadcast,for example, as mentioned above (especially, in the case of“multi-vision” broadcasting, it is a unit of a group of a plurality of“visions” which are changeable or selectable), and it includes one ormore PUs, each of which is a reproduction unit. Moreover, the “PU” is agroup of mutually changeable elementary streams which are included ineach AU, as described above, and the ES-table Index #m corresponding toeach PU is specified by the PU information 302I. For example, in thecase of constructing multi-view contents with the AU, the AU storestherein a plurality of PUs, and each PU stores therein the pointers to aplurality of elementary stream packet IDs, which indicate the packetsconstituting the content of each view. This indicates the Index numberin the ES map table 134, as described later.

In the lower part of FIG. 25, the ES map table 134 stores therein ES maptable comprehensive information, a plurality of Indexes #m (m=1, 2, . .. ), and the “other information”, for each Field.

The “ES map table comprehensive information” describes therein the sizeof the ES map table, the total number of Indexes, and the like.

The “Index #m” includes the elementary stream packet IDs (ES_PIDs) ofthe entire elementary streams to be used for the reproduction, thecorresponding Index numbers, and the address information of theelementary stream.

Constructed as described above, it is possible to obtain the elementarystream packet ID (ES_PID) of the actual elementary stream from the Indexnumber of the ES map 134 specified from the AU table 131. Moreover,since the address information of the elementary stream corresponding tothe elementary stream packet ID can be obtained at the same time, it ispossible to reproduce the object data on the basis of these information.

According to the data structure of the optical disc 100 explained above,even in the case of adding a new title to the optical disc 100,necessary information can be added easily, which is useful. On the otherhand, even if some information becomes unnecessary as a result ofediting or the like, for example, what is to be done is simply not torefer to the information, and it is not necessary to actually delete theinformation from the table, which is useful, as well.

Incidentally, in FIG. 25, even the ES_PID that is not referred to fromthe AU table 131 in the upper part is described by the Index of the ESmap table 134 in the lower part; however, it is not necessary todescribe the ES_PID that is not referred to, in this manner. If the moreversatile ES map table 134 is prepared in advance by describing theES_PID that is not referred to in this manner, it is not necessary toreconstruct the ES map table in the case of reediting the content, suchas trying the authoring operation again, which is advantageous.

(4) Object Data File:

Next, the object data file 140 will be explained.

In this specific embodiment, the object data file 140 stores thereinthree TS objects as the object data that are actual reproductionobjects.

The transport stream defined by the PAT and the PMT described above canbe stored as they are or after some processes, as explained withreference to FIG. 9, and the information that specifies the elementarystream as being the reproduction object in the transport stream isstored in the above described object information file 130 (refer to FIG.25). The elementary stream is associated with the entity data in theobject data file 140 by the object information file 130.

As explained in detail with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 25, according tothe embodiment, even if the TS objects 142 are prepared on the basis ofdifferent PAT and PMT construction rules, as is a local rule thatdiffers from country to country, and even if the entity data of the TSobjects 142 is stored on the optical disc 100 as it is, without changingthe structures of the TS objects 142, it is possible to reproduce theinformation by using the AU information 132I and the PU information302I, without any problem.

According to the embodiment, it is possible to logically and easilyconstruct the title 200 by the entire data or the one portion of data ofthe TS object 142 (e.g. the “show 1” only, or further, a certain timeband where the “show 1” of the TS #1 object 142 exists and the like asshown with the above described one specific example) or by the title 200reproduced by connecting a plurality of TS objects 142, which is useful.In addition, by constructing the AU 132, which is a group of therelative elementary streams related to the above, as well as directlypointing out the elementary stream packet ID (ES_PID) by each AU 132, itis possible to easily reproduce the information regardless of thedefinition contents of the PAT and the PMT of the TS object 142 (i.e.without analyzing the TS object 142 on the basis of the definition ruleor the interpretation rule in the information reproducing apparatus or aplayer), which is prepared in a different broadcast method (which isbased on the local rules of Japan and foreign countries). In otherwords, when storing the transport stream onto the optical disc 100, itis not necessary to reconstruct the PAT and the PMT. As described above,even in the case of recording onto the same optical disc 100 a pluralityof TS objects 142, whose PAT and PMT reconstruction rules are notstandardized, it is possible to reproduce the multi-vision or multi-viewshow or program from the transport stream stored on the optical disc 100without any problem (i.e. freely and appropriately according to a user'sdesire in the changeable or selectable condition of the vision or theview), which is extremely useful in practice. Therefore, it is possibleto easily ensure the interchangeability of the reproduction with arelatively simple player construction.

Moreover, according to the embodiment, by constructing the PU 302structure in each AU 132, a group of the mutually related elementarystreams (e.g. the video stream, the audio stream, and the like) iseasily judged at the time of changing the reproduction scenes of themulti-vision title and the like, and the change function of the audiostream in one vision and the like can be realized relatively simply.

According to the embodiment, even in the case of adding a new elementarystream, such as the sub picture stream, to the already prepared TSobject 142, it is possible to reconstruct a simple stream that onlymultiplexes the entire data, by additionally describing the elementarystream packet ID of the simply new elementary stream, the PAT, the PMT,and the like, without changing the elementary stream packet ID (ES_PID)of the existing definition. As described above, the logical structure ofthe optical disc 100 in the embodiment can simplify the authoringoperation for preparing a ROM title, as well as being broadly availablefor even a household recorder and the like.

In addition, according to the embodiment, since the AU information 132Iand the PU information 302I need maintenance only when editing thecontents (i.e. it is not necessary to rewrite the PAT and the PMT), itis possible to edit without considering about the PAT or the PMT asbeing materials, which is extremely useful.

Incidentally, the optical disc 100 as one example of the informationrecording medium and a recorder or a player related to the optical disc100 as one example of the information recording/reproducing apparatusare explained in the above described embodiment; however, the presentinvention is not limited to the optical disc, and the recorder or theplayer. The present invention is available for the other variousinformation recording/reproducing media corresponding to the highdensity recording or the high transmission rate, and their recorders orplayers.

According to this embodiment, as described above in detail, it ispossible to multiplex and record a large amount of content information,such as a plurality of shows or programs, which is transmitted in thetransport stream or the like, and relatively simply reproduce a desiredone from among them.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments,and changes may be made if desired without departing from the scope orspirit of the invention which can be read from the claims and the entirespecification. An information recording medium, an apparatus for and amethod of recording the information, an apparatus for and a method ofreproducing the information, an apparatus for and a method of recordingand reproducing the information, a computer program for controlling therecord or the reproduction, and a data structure including a controlsignal that accompany such changes are also intended to be within thetechnical scope of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

An information recording medium, a apparatus for and a method ofrecording the information, an apparatus for and a method of reproducingthe information, an apparatus for and a method of recording andreproducing the information, a computer program for controlling therecord or the reproduction, and a data structure including a controlsignal that are associated with the present invention can be applied toa high-density optical disc for consumer or industrial use, such as aDVD, on which various information, such as the video information, theaudio information, the sub picture information, and the reproductioncontrol information, can be recorded at high density and further can beapplied to a DVD player, a DVD recorder, and the like. Moreover, theycan be applied to an information recording medium, an informationrecording/reproducing apparatus, or the like, which are inserted in orcan be connected to various computer equipment for consumer orindustrial use, for example.

1-17. (canceled)
 18. An information recording medium on which an entirestream including a plurality of portion streams, each of which comprisesa series of content information, is multiplexed-and-recorded by a unitof packet, which is a physically accessible unit, said informationrecording medium comprising: an object data file, which is a logicallyaccessible unit, for storing object data which comprises a plurality ofpackets, each storing therein a piece of the content information; areproduction sequence information file for storing reproduction sequenceinformation which defienes a reproduction sequence of the object datastored in said object data file; and an object information file forstoring, as reproduction control information for controlling thereproduction of said object data file, correspondence definitioninformation which defines a correspondence relationship between aplurality of packets multiplexed on a time axis and the plurality ofportion streams, said object information file being not multiplexed bythe unit of packet and being recorded in a second area which isdifferent from the first area on said information recording medium. 19.The information recording medium according to claim 18, wherein saidobject data file includes a plurality of object data recorded on thebasis of interpretation rules which mutually differ with regard to thecorrespondence relationship and the correspondence definitioninformation defines the correspondence relationship on the basis ofinterpretation rules which are unified among the plurality of objectdata.
 20. The information recording medium according to claim 18,wherein the entire stream includes two or more portion streams, eachcomprising video information as the series of content information. 21.An information recording apparatus for multiplexing and recording anentire stream including a plurality of portion streams, each of whichcomprises a series of content information, onto an information recordingmedium by a unit of packet, which is a physically accessible unit, saidinformation recording apparatus comprising: a first recording device forrecording an object data file, which is a logically accessible unit, forstoring object data which comprises a plurality of packets, each storingtherein a piece of the content information; a second recording devicefor recording a reproduction sequence information file for storingreproduction sequence information which defines a reproduction sequenceof the object data stored in said object data file; and a thirdrecording device for recording an object information file for storing,as reproduction control information for controlling the reproduction ofsaid object data file, correspondence definition information whichdefines a correspondence relationship between a plurality of packetsmultiplexed on a time axis and the plurality of portion streams, saidfirst recording device multiplexing said object data file by the unit ofpacket and recording it in a first area on said information recordingmedium, said third recording device not multiplexing said objectinformation file by the unit of packet and recording it in a second areawhich is different from the first area on said information recordingmedium.
 22. The information recording apparatus according to claim 21,wherein the entire stream comprises at least one portion of a transportstream of MPEG 2 which is digitally transmitted and broadcasted and isreceived at a set top box and said first recording device records saidobject data file such that one correspondence definition information,which defines the correspondence relationship included in the receivedentire stream, is included in one portion of the object data in themultiplexed form with the content information.
 23. An informationrecording method of multiplexing and recording an entire streamincluding a plurality of portion streams, each of which comprises aseries of content information, onto an information recording medium by aunit of packet, which is a physically accessible unit, said informationrecording method comprising: a first recording process of recording anobject data file, which is a logically accessible unit, for storingobject data which comprises a plurality of packets, each storing thereina piece of the content information; a second recording process ofrecording a reproduction sequence information file for storingreproduction sequence information which defines a reproduction sequenceof the object data stored in said object data file; and a thirdrecording process of recording an object information file for storing,as reproduction control information for controlling the reproduction ofsaid object data file, correspondence definition information whichdefines a correspondence relationship between a plurality of packetsmultiplexed on a time axis and the plurality of portion streams, saidfirst recording process multiplexing said object data file by the unitof packet and recording it in a first area on said information recordingmedium, said third recording process not multiplexing said objectinformation file by the unit of packet and recording it in a second areawhich is different from the first area on said information recordingmedium.
 24. The information recording method according to claim 23,wherein the entire stream comprises at least one portion of a transportstream of MPEG 2 which is digitally transmitted and broadcasted and isreceived at a set top box and said first recording process records saidobject data file such that one correspondence definition information,which defines the correspondence relationship included in the receivedentire stream, is included in one portion of the object data in themultiplexed form with the content information.
 25. An informationreproducing apparatus for reproducing at least one portion of a recordedentire stream from an information recording medium on which the entirestream including a plurality of portion streams, each of which comprisesa series of content information, is multiplexed-and-recorded by a unitof packet, which is a physically accessible unit, said informationrecording medium comprising: an object data file, which is a logicallyaccessible unit, for storing object data which comprises a plurality ofpackets, each storing therein a piece of the content information; areproduction sequence information file for storing reproduction sequenceinformation which defines a reproduction sequence of the object datastored in said object data file; and an object information file forstoring, as reproduction control information for controlling thereproduction of said object data file, correspondence definitioninformation which defines a correspondence relationship between aplurality of packets multiplexed on a time axis and the plurality ofportion streams, said object data file being multiplexed by the unit ofpacket and being recorded in a first area on said information recordingmedium, said object information file being not multiplexed by the unitof packet and being recorded in a second area which is different fromthe first area on said information recording medium, said informationreproducing apparatus comprising: a reading device for physicallyreading information from said information recording medium; and areproducing device for reproducing the object data by demultiplexing forthe information read by said reading device from the first area on thebasis of the reproduction control information and the reproductionsequence information included in the information read by said readingdevice from the second area.
 26. The information reproducing apparatusaccording to claim 25, wherein said reproducing device demultiplexessuch that a packet corresponding to one or a plurality of portionstreams that are reproduction objects out of the plurality of packetsmultiplexed is extracted in accordance with the correspondencedefinition information included in the information read by said readingdevice.
 27. An information reproducing method of reproducing at leastone portion of a recorded entire stream from an information recordingmedium on which the entire stream including a plurality of portionstreams, each of which comprises a series of content information, ismultiplexed-and-recorded by a unit of packet, which is a physicallyaccessible unit, said information recording medium comprising: an objectdata file, which is a logically accessible unit, for storing object datawhich comprises a plurality of packets, each storing therein a piece ofthe content information; a reproduction sequence information file forstoring reproduction sequence information which defines a reproductionsequence of the object data stored in said object data file; and anobject information file for storing, as reproduction control informationfor controlling the reproduction of said object data file,correspondence definition information which defines a correspondencerelationship between a plurality of packets multiplexed on a time axisand the plurality of portion streams, said object data file beingmultiplexed by the unit of packet and being recorded in a first area onsaid information recording medium, said object information file beingnot multiplexed by the unit of packet and being recorded in a secondarea which is different from the first area on said informationrecording medium, said information reproducing method comprising: areading process of physically reading information from said informationrecording medium; and a reproducing process of reproducing the objectdata by demultiplexing for the information read by said reading processfrom the first area on the basis of the reproduction control informationand the reproduction sequence information included in the informationread by said reading process from the second area.
 28. The informationreproducing method according to claim 27, wherein said reproducingprocess demultiplexes such that a packet corresponding to one or aplurality of portion streams that are reproduction objects out of theplurality of packets multiplexed is extracted in accordance with thecorrespondence definition information included in the information readby said reading process.
 29. An information recording and reproducingapparatus for recording an entire stream onto and reproducing at leastone portion of the recorded entire stream from an information recordingmedium on which the entire stream including a plurality of portionstreams, each of which comprises a series of content information, ismultiplexed-and-recorded by a unit of packet, which is a physicallyaccessible unit, said information recording medium comprising: andobject data file, which is a logically accessible unit, for storingobject data which comprises a plurality of packets, each storing thereina piece of the content information; a reproduction sequence informationfile for storing reproduction sequence information which defines areproduction sequence of the object data stored in said object datafile; and an object information file for storing, as reproductioncontrol information for controlling the reproduction of said object datafile, correspondence definition information which defined acorrespondence relationship between a plurality of packets multiplexedon a time axis and the plurality of portion streams, said object datafile being multiplexed by the unit of packet and being recorded in afirst area on said information recording medium, said object informationfile being not multiplexed by the unit of packet and being recorded in asecond area which is different from the first area on said informationrecording medium, said information recording and reproducing apparatuscomprising: a first recording device for recording said object datafile; a second recording device for recording said reproductionsequences information file; a third recording device for recording saidobject information file; a reading device for physically readinginformation from said information recording medium; and a reproducingdevice for reproducing the object data by demultiplexing for theinformation read by said reading device from the first area on the basisof the reproduction control information and the reproduction sequenceinformation included in the information read by said reading device fromthe second area.
 30. An information recording and reproducing method ofrecording an entire stream onto and reproducing at least one portion ofthe recorded entire stream from an information recording medium on whichthe entire stream including a plurality of portion streams, each ofwhich comprises a series of content information, ismultiplexed-and-recorded by a unit of packet, which is a physicallyaccessible unit, said information recording medium comprising: an objectdata file, which is a logically accessible unit, for storing object datawhich comprises a plurality of packets, each storing therein a piece ofthe content information; a reproduction sequence information file forstoring reproduction sequence information which defines a reproductionsequence of the object data stored in said object data file; and anobject information file for storing, as reproduction control informationfor controlling the reproduction of said object data file,correspondence definition information which defines a correspondencerelationship between a plurality of packets multiplexed on a time axisand the plurality of portion streams, said object data file beingmultiplexed by the unit of packet and being recorded in a first area onsaid information recording medium, said object information file beingnot multiplexed by the unit of packet and being recorded in a secondarea which is different from the first area on said informationrecording medium, said information recording and reproducing methodcomprising: a first recording process of recording said object datafile; a second recording process of recording said reproduction sequenceinformation file; a third recording process of recording said objectinformation file; a reading process of physically reading informationfrom said information recording medium; and a reproducing process ofreproducing the object data by demultiplexing for the information readby said reading process from the first area on the basis of thereproduction control information and the reproduction sequenceinformation included in the information read by said reading processfrom the second area.
 31. A computer program product for controllingrecord and for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executableby a computer to make the computer function as at least one portion of afirst recording device, a second recording device, and a third recordingdevice, the computer being provided in an information recordingapparatus for multiplexing and recording an entire stream including aplurality of portion streams, each of which comprises a series ofcontent information, onto an information recording medium by a unit ofpacket, which is a physically accessible unit, said informationrecording apparatus comprising: said first recording device forrecording an object data file, which is a logically accessible unit, forstoring object data which comprises a plurality of packets, each storingtherein a piece of the content information; said second recording devicefor recording a reproduction sequence information file for storingreproduction sequence information which defines a reproduction sequenceof the object data stored in said object data file; and said thirdrecording device for recording an object information file for storing,as reproduction control information for controlling the reproduction ofsaid object data file, correspondence definition information whichdefines a correspondence relationship between a plurality of packetsmultiplexed on a time axis and the plurality of portion streams, saidfirst recording device multiplexing said object data file by the unit ofpacket and recording it in a first area on said information recordingmedium, said third recording device not multiplexing said objectinformation file by the unit of packet and recording it in a second areawhich is different from the first area on said information recordingmedium.
 32. A computer program product for controlling reproduction andfor tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by acomputer to make the computer function as at least one portion of areproducing device, the computer being provided in an informationreproducing apparatus for reproducing at least one portion of a recordedentire stream from an information recording medium on which the entirestream including a plurality of portion streams, each of which comprisesa series of content information, is multiplexed-and-recorded by a unitof packet, which is a physically accessible unit, said informationrecording medium comprising: an object data file, which is a logicallyaccessible unit, for storing object data which comprises a plurality ofpackets, each storing therein a piece of the content information; areproduction sequence information file for storing reproduction sequenceinformation which defines a reproduction sequence of the object datastored in said object data file; and an object information file forstoring, as reproduction control information for controlling thereproduction of said object data file, correspondence definitioninformation which defines a correspondence relationship between aplurality of packets multiplexed on a time axis and the plurality ofportion streams, said object data file being multiplexed by the unit ofpacket and being recorded in a first area on said information recordingmedium, said object information file being not multiplexed by the unitof packet and being recorded in a second area which is different fromthe first area on said information recording medium, said informationreproducing apparatus comprising: a reading device for physicallyreading information from said information recording medium; and saidreproducing device for reproducing the object data by demultiplexing forthe information read by said reading device from the first area on thebasis of the reproduction control information and the reproductionsequence information included in the information read by said readingdevice from the second area.
 33. A computer program product forcontrolling record and reproduction and for tangibly embodying a programof instructions executable by a computer to make the computer functionas at least one portion of a first recording device, a second recordingdevice, a third recording device, and a reproducing device, the computerbeing provided in an information recording and reproducing apparatus forrecording an entire stream onto and reproducing at least one portion ofthe recorded entire stream from an information recording medium on whichthe entire stream including a plurality of portion streams, each ofwhich comprises a series of content information, ismultiplexed-and-recorded by a unit of packet, which is a physicallyaccessible unit, said information recording medium comprising: an objectdata file, which is a logically accessible unit, for storing object datawhich comprises a plurality of packets, each storing therein a piece ofthe content information; a reproduction sequence information file forstoring reproduction sequence information which defines a reproductionsequence of the object data stored in said object data file; and anobject information file for storing, as reproduction control informationfor controlling the reproduction of said object data file,correspondence definition information which defines a correspondencerelationship between a plurality of packets multiplexed in a time axisand the plurality of portion streams, said object data file beingmultiplexed by the unit of packet and being recorded in a first area onsaid information recording medium, said object information file beingnot multiplexed by the unit of packet and being recorded in a secondarea which is different from the first area on said informationrecording medium, said information recording and reproducing apparatuscomprising: said first recording device for recording said object datafile; said second recording device for recording said reproductionsequence information file; said third recording device for recordingsaid object information file; a reading device for physically readinginformation from said information recording medium; and said reproducingdevice for reproducing the object data by demultiplexing for theinformation read by said read device from the first area on the basis ofthe reproduction control information and the reproduction sequenceinformation included in the information read by said reading device fromthe second area.
 34. A data structure including a control signal, inwhich an entire stream including a plurality of portion streams, each ofwhich comprises a series of content information, is multiplexed by aunit of packet, which is a physically accessible unit, having: an objectdata file, which is a logically accessible unit, for storing object datawhich comprises a plurality of packets, each storing therein a piece ofthe content information; a reproduction sequence information file forstoring reproduction sequence information which defines a reproductionsequence of the object data stored in said object data file; and anobject information file for storing, as reproduction control informationfor controlling the reproduction of said object data file,correspondence definition information which defines a correspondencerelationship between a plurality of packets multiplexed on a time axisand the plurality of portion streams, said object data file beingmultiplexed by the unit of packet and being recorded in a first area onsaid information recording medium, said object information file beingnot multiplexed by the unit of packet and being recorded in a secondarea which is different from the first area on said informationrecording medium.